Could Ravens Still Pursue Pro Bowl CB?

The Baltimore Ravens went out and addressed arguably their biggest need by signing free agent cornerback Chidobe Awuzie this week, but they may not be done just yet.

Awuzie, an eight-year veteran, is undoubtedly a very good player, and he gives the Ravens a third starting-caliber cornerback as well as some much-needed flexibility.

However, their depth at the position is still not great, so they could be in trouble if one of Awuzie, Nate Wiggins or Marlon Humphrey go down. Considering how much the pass defense struggled in the first half of the season, that's something they may want to avoid.

As fate would have it, a potential trade target from earlier in the offseason is still available. The 33rd Team's Tyler Brooke named Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, who was commonly linked to the Ravens before free agency, as a trade candidate to watch for the rest of the offseason.

"Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst loves his picks, even ones on Day 3, and he seems content holding out for some kind of draft capital by holding onto Jaire Alexander," Brooke wrote.

"After another injury-plagued year for Alexander, the two sides appear to be ready to move on this offseason. The Packers could save over $6.8 million by cutting their star cornerback but seem content waiting things out and fielding trade offers."

Alexander, 28, is one of the league's premier cornerbacks when healthy, allowing an 83.4 passer rating when targeted throughout his career and boasting two Pro Bowl selections. That "when healthy" part is the caveat, though, as he's played just 34 of 68 games over the past four seasons. Sixteen of those games came in 2022 as well.

There's also the financial implications of such a trade. Alexander has two years left on his deal with cap hits of (roughly) $25 million in 2025 and $27.4 million in 2026.

For the Ravens, who only have around $8.8 million in projected cap space, a trade would be very difficult. If they really want him, they'd probably be better off waiting the Packers out and signing him as a free agent.