Ravens HC Explains Jaire Alexander's Surprise Benching

The most surprising name on the Baltimore Ravens' list of inactive players for their home opener against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, by far, was veteran cornerback Jaire Alexander. Coming off a poor showing in Week 1, where he played a major role in the team's epic collapse on the road against the Buffalo Bills, a reduced role would've made sense, but not even dressing him for the game was unexpected.

While the defense wasn't going against nearly as formidable an offense and quarterback as former Ravens legend Joe Flacco, compared to Josh Allen, their coverage was much better. They were still going up against a talented group of pass catchers and only surrendered 207 yards through the air in four quarters in a 41-17 win after giving 251 passing yards in the fourth quarter alone a week ago.

After the game, before reporters could even get a chance to ask him about why Alexander was not active despite being removed from the final injury report on Friday, head coach John Harbaugh gave him a significant vote of confidence.

“Jaire Alexander is going to play great football for us this year,” Harbaugh said. “I kind of made the decision, he’s pushing me hard but I made the decision. Let’s get completely right in football shape. You got to be in football shape.”

Alexander missed nearly a month of practice, including the bulk of training camp, after getting his surgically-repaired knee drained before returning the week ahead of the Bills game. He was a limited participant in this past Wednesday's practice before participating fully on Thursday and Friday but there’s a big difference between being healthy enough to practice and having the stamina to play an entire game of live action.

'He didn't get a chance to be in training camp for the full thing," Harbaugh said. "He's healthy, he's going to be fine and he'll be out there very soon playing great ball for us."

In Alexander's absence, the Ravens leaned more on ninth-year veteran Chidobe Awuzie and second-year pro T.J. Tampa to play on the outside on downs when four-time All Pro Marlon Humphrey moved inside to play nickel.