Ravens’ Lamar Jackson will get want, further scrutiny after two-time Professional Bowl signing
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson added a job title on Wednesday: assistant basic supervisor.
At some point after requesting basic supervisor Eric DeCosta to signal his former faculty teammate, former Inexperienced Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, DeCosta did simply that, agreeing to a one-year, $6 million contract with the two-time Professional Bowler.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Alexander declined more cash elsewhere to affix the Ravens.
When requested his opinion about Baltimore pursuing Alexander on Tuesday, Jackson interjected earlier than the reporter might end, saying, “Go get him, Eric.”
“I really like all our corners, do not get me flawed,” Jackson clarified. “However go get him, Eric,” the two-time MVP reiterated.
Alexander and Jackson each attended Louisville from 2015-17 and had been chosen within the first spherical of the 2018 NFL Draft.
The signing demonstrates the kind of affect Jackson has on the group. Contemplating his significance to the staff’s success, Jackson has earned the appropriate to have an opinion on the staff’s signings.
However with that energy comes elevated scrutiny.
Jackson is already below strain to win a Tremendous Bowl. He squashed criticism about his playoff observe file with two robust video games throughout the 2024 postseason, however till he provides a Lombardi Trophy to his resume, he’ll stay below a microscope on the sector.
With DeCosta heeding Jackson’s recommendation and signing Alexander, his managerial expertise may also be price monitoring.
Over the previous two seasons, Alexander, 28, has began 14 of a attainable 34 video games attributable to accidents, together with a knee damage in 2024. He was restricted to 4 regular-season video games in 2021 attributable to a shoulder damage.
When wholesome, nonetheless, Alexander is among the many league’s finest corners. Per NFL Professional, final season, the Packers allowed quarterbacks to finish 61 p.c of their makes an attempt with Alexander on the sector and 70.7 p.c off it.
In Baltimore, Alexander joins a secondary that features 2024 first-team All-Professional Marlon Humphrey, eight-year veteran Chidobe Awuzie and promising second-year nook Nate Wiggins, giving the Ravens doubtlessly one of many league’s most formidable secondaries.
Per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, Alexander, Awuzie and Humphrey rank within the high 5 in tight window goal charge, which measures the speed of targets when a receiver has lower than a yard of separation, amongst outdoors cornerbacks with no less than 250 targets since 2018.
Bearing in mind the sheer quantity of proficient AFC quarterbacks, loading up on defensive backs might be a good suggestion. Nonetheless, Jackson higher hope the Alexander signing does not backfire. Assistant basic managers normally aren’t afforded many errors.
