If there’s one spot on the Seattle Seahawks roster where they could use a veteran addition, it’s cornerback. And suddenly, there appears to be a new option on the market.
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According to multiple reports, the Green Bay Packers are set to release 28-year-old cornerback Jaire Alexander on Monday. A two-time Pro Bowler who was picked 18th overall out of Louisville in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Alexander has 12 career interceptions over seven pro seasons.
The Seahawks have Devon Witherspoon, already a two-time Pro Bowler as he enters his third season, along with one-time Pro Bowler Riq Woolen as their starting cornerbacks. But Seattle lacks experience on the depth chart, with the recently re-signed Josh Jobe (nine career starts) having seen the most playing time of the remaining CBs on the roster.
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Seattle has reportedly looked at free agents Shaquill Griffin, a former Seahawks Pro Bowler, and Rasul Douglas earlier this offseason. But with Alexander now becoming available, could patience by the Seahawks be paying off?
JAIRE ALEXANDER INT
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On Monday’s edition of Brock and Salk, Mike Salk asked fellow Seattle Sports host Michael Bumpus, a Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver, if he thinks the Hawks should look to sign Alexander.
“Interesting one, because you’re looking at what the great teams do and they acquire talent,” Bumpus responded. “You look at the way Philadelphia acquires talent, the Rams do it all the time, the Niners get into the mix as well. I think you should take a real good look at him.”
There’s one big thing to consider, though.
“Only knock on him, as you probably know and mentioned, is that he just can’t stay healthy,” Bumpus said.
On the team’s terms
Alexander played just seven games in each of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to injury, and only four games in 2021 for the same reason. But he played 16 games in 2022 and 15 games in 2020, both years in which he was named to the Pro Bowl.
“His last two seasons (that) he was healthy, he was a Pro Bowl-type of guy,” Bumpus said. “… It’s gotta be a team-friendly contract. Whoever is negotiating with Alexander, they’re gonna use his past, his injury history to their advantage.”
There is a benefit to having Jobe on the roster, which is that it could make taking a chance on a player with a checkered injury history a little more palatable.
“The good thing about this roster right now is, I know no one’s really excited about Josh Jobe, but at least we’ve seen that he can play. So if you were to get an Alexander and he were to get banged up, you have a guy who can take his shoes,” Bumpus said. “… You sign a one- (or) two-year deal, a prove-it type of deal, something similar to Sam Darnold, I think you take a look at it because it’s about acquiring talent.
“And we know what (Seahawks coach) Mike Macdonald can do with talent. We saw what he did with Baltimore (as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator). So I’m kicking the tires but I’m not doing anything crazy.”
Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. and Bump and Stacy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.
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