Nov 27, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) acknkowledges the crowd against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports Eric Hartline
The Eagles' cornerback group is in safe hands with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. As rookies, Mitchell and DeJean played integral roles on the second-best pass defense in the NFL.
But that doesn't mean the Eagles aren't looking to strengthen the position even more before they attempt to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. They released Darius Slay in March and he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kelee Ringo is a likely candidate to replace Slay and play opposite Mitchell on the outside.
However, that spot could potentially belong to Jaire Alexander in the coming months. The 27-year-old was released by the Green Bay Packers on Monday, leading to speculation about whether the Eagles will go after him. Alexander has struggled to stay on the field, having only played 14 games over the past two seasons due to injuries.
In an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic with John Kincade and Andrew Salciunas, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler had this to say of the Eagles potentially pursuing the former Pro Bowler:
"Talking to people that have been around him or close to him, they believe loyalty is important to him, connection is important to him," Fowler said. "That's why I do have the Eagles on my radar with defensive backs coach, Christian Parker, who was with him in Green Bay. They had successful years together."
Fowler's comments come on the heels of his colleague Adam Schefter, who told 97.5 that the Eagles could make a one-year deal work, "if the price was right."
Even without Schefter's reporting, it would make sense for Alexander to receive a one-year deal wherever he goes, considering his inability to stay on the field the past few seasons.
Fowler's insight add a different layer, though.
Christian Parker — the Eagles' defensive backs coach — was a defensive quality control coach with the Packers from 2019 to 2020. Those were two of Alexander's best seasons in the NFL. He stayed healthy, starting 31 regular-season games and earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2020.
Per Fowler, Alexander and Parker's previous relationship could play a role in the Eagles landing him. Parker is a rising star in the NFL. He's only 33, but has risen up the coaching ranks and helped completely turn around the Eagles' secondary in 2024. He did such a good job that Kellen Moore nearly poached him by hiring him as his defensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints. Parker interviewed for the opening in February, but Moore hired Brandon Staley instead. The Eagles could reap the benefits of Parker staying even more if Alexander chooses to sign with them.
Betting on Alexander's health is a pretty low-risk, high-reward situation for the Eagles. At his best, Alexander is one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. There's a reason the Packers made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL by giving him a four-year, $84 million extension in 2022.
Alexander has only had one healthy season since then, but with Mitchell and DeJean as established cornerbacks, there wouldn't be a reliance on Alexander to play the full slate of games for the Eagles. It would be ideal, but the defense wouldn't fall apart without him if he wasn't out there.
