Saints Advised To Sign Two-Time Pro Bowl CB To Contract 'Laced With Incentives'

If there's one thing the New Orleans Saints can do to up their slim 2025 playoff chances, it's making some opportunistic roster moves.

New Orleans didn't have much of a budget in free agency this year, and they used a lot of what they had to bring back edge-rusher Chase Young. This was a defense that let up nearly 380 yards of offense per game last year, and the secondary is still full of question marks.

It had to perk up some ears around the Saints' facility earlier this week when former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was released. The two-time Pro Bowler has often been injured over the past four seasons, and his contract was ugly, but now, he's up for grabs.

Citing Alexander's veteran experience, Darrion Gray of FanSided recently urged the Saints to make a play for the 28-year-old cornerback in free agency.

"Picking up Alexander would put a number one cornerback in the room. The Saints have belief in Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor, but neither of those players have experience stepping into the season as the top guy. This is their first season being a Week 1 starter on the outside," Gray wrote.

"Because of that lack of experience, grabbing a veteran makes a lot of sense. Alexander has made second-team All-Pro twice in his career and has become one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. There is no doubt Alexander could bolster the Saints defense."

But Gray also had a condition for his proposed Saints signing: don't guarantee Alexander too much money in case he were to wind up getting hurt again.

"If the Saints make a move for Alexander, the contract should be heavily laced with incentives," he wrote. "Taking this precaution allows the Saints to protect themselves in case Alexander suffers another injury. If he doesn't, the Saints get a talented cornerback for a full season, and he gets his money"

Last season, Alexander was limited to seven games with a knee injury, but he did have two interceptions, including a pick-six. He also was limited to seven games in 2023 and just four in 2021.

Though it would certainly be a risky proposition for the Saints, it's easy to see the logic behind a potential pursuit of Alexander.

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