Ex-Packers Star Linked to Eagles in Surprising Roster Prediction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
At the beginning of the week, the Green Bay Packers cut ties with a prominent member of their defense. In a cost-cutting move, the Packers parted ways with the veteran cornerback, Jaire Alexander.
As expected, the availability of Alexander generated a ton of buzz across the NFL. Being that he's a seasoned veteran who still has plenty of gas left in the tank, there are enough corner-needy teams out there who are worthy of giving Alexander a look.
Although the Eagles are fresh off a Super Bowl victory and don't necessarily seem to be in desperate need of a cornerback, they've become a popular candidate to potentially lure in the former Packer. A recent prediction from CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin adds some fuel to the Alexander-Eagles hype train.
The NFL analyst predicts that Alexander's landing spot ahead of the 2025 NFL season could be the Eagles. He's predicted to land a one-year deal, worth $16 million.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander #23 of the Green Bay Packers looks down field against the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on October 09, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander #23 of the Green Bay Packers looks down field against the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on October 09, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo by"Joining the rival Minnesota Vikings would be spicy and smart for both sides, while the Rams and Baltimore Ravens also make sense as playoff-contending suitors," Benjamin writes. "The Philadelphia Eagles are due for a splash, though, and Alexander, who just happened to be born in Philly, would give them a higher-upside rental for their title-winning secondary."
Winning came at a pretty big cost for the Eagles. Their defensive line dealt with a couple of key losses as multiple pass-rushers secured major deals in free agency.
As for the secondary, the Eagles didn't retain a handful of names. The homegrown Avonte Maddox changed teams for the first time in his career, joining the Detroit Lions. James Bradberry exits the organization after being nothing more than a veteran presence in 2024.
Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers played key roles in the Eagles' championship run, and they'll take their talents to another city for next year. Slay signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Rodgers packed up to join the Minnesota Vikings.
The Eagles are quite confident in the young combination of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The 22-year-old fourth-round pick Kelee Ringo is off to a strong start in the offseason, garnering plenty of hype for his progression at spring camp.
While a youth movement was expected in Philadelphia's secondary, bringing on a veteran like Alexander is still the kind of play that a team putting together a championship push makes. The availability concerns for Alexander are understandable, considering he played in just 14 games over the past two seasons, but the Eagles have a decent insurance policy with their current set of young backs. The Eagles have helped DBs bounce back on prove-it deals in the past. Alexander could be the next.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rams proud of Stetson Bennett's growth, but he still has a long way to go
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett is entering his third season in the NFL. Bennett, a former Georgia Bulldog, has improved, but is a long way away from starting for the Rams. The former two-time national champion quarterback is the Rams' No. 3 quarterback behind starter Matthew Stafford and veteran backup Jimmy Garoppolo. Bennett has yet to attempt a pass in his NFL career, but appears to be set as Los Angeles' third-string quarterback. The Rams don't have a fourth-string quarterback competing with Bennett, who is expected to maintain his role on the practice squad. Advertisement Despite no significant change in his role, the Rams like where Bennett is entering his third season in the NFL. 'A ton of growth, particularly from two years ago,' Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said regarding Bennett. 'A lot of credit to him, working on what he needed to work on to get himself into this situation. But a ton of credit that (quarterbacks coach) Dave (Ragone) too and I'll say even Jimmy and Matthew. I think they've done a great job of just putting arm around him, mentoring him. What awesome two quarterbacks to learn from that have won a crap ton of games in this league. Proud would be the wrong word but for lack of a better term, proud of where he's at and he's just continuing to go.' Bennett is entering a critical phase in his NFL career. He continues to need to exhibit improvement in order to remain the Rams' third-string quarterback. He typically gets a lot of action in the preseason, so that will serve as a big opportunity for him. Matthew Stafford is 37 years old, so the Rams are hoping to develop a quarterback that can take over once he retires. With Jimmy Garoppolo also being 33 years old, Bennett is the Rams' top quarterback of the future option on the Rams' roster. However, NFL teams expect a lot out of their starting quarterbacks, so Bennett, who is 27 years old, will have to continue proving himself in order to ever get a chance to compete for the starting role in Los Angeles (or with any NFL team). Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) throws the ball What next for Bennett? OTAs are complete, but Los Angeles has mandatory minicamp from June 16-18. Bennett will look to get more opportunities at that. Advertisement 'He needs to play just football, right?' LaFleur added. 'We're out here again. We're out playing flag football in shorts right now but I know this: He's going about his process in a professional way each and every day to give himself the best chance when he inevitably gets his ops (opportunities) in August in the preseason.' Bennett is looking to make the most of his opportunities ahead of the preseason. Last year, Bennett attempted the second-most passes (69) and recorded the second-most passing yards (437) of any quarterback in the preseason. However, Bennett threw five interceptions, which was the most (tied) of any quarterback during the preseason. If Bennett wants a chance to start or consistently serve as a second-string quarterback in the NFL, then he needs to limit turnovers. This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: What's next for former Georgia QB Stetson Bennett?
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rams waive former Georgia CFP hero
The Los Angeles Rams have waived former Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Derion Kendrick after three seasons. Kendrick was a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Georgia had a record-breaking 15 players selected in the 2022 draft. Kendrick developed into a productive player for the Rams. He started 18 of 32 games during his first two seasons with Los Angeles. However, he tore his ACL during the first week of training camp in 2024, which forced him out for the entire 2024 season. Advertisement Now, Kendrick is looking to comeback from his ACL injury, but he'll have to find another NFL team first. Kendrick posted 14 pass deflections, 92 tackles and one interception during his first two years in the NFL. He has the ability to start at outside cornerback and should find a new team relatively soon as long as he's healthy. Kendrick played the first three seasons of his college career at Clemson before transferring to Georgia for the 2021 season. The talented cornerback intercepted four passes including two in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Michigan in his lone season at Georgia, which ended in a national championship victory over Alabama. Former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick Waiving Kendrick saves the Rams $3.4 million in cap space. Kendrick was participating in OTAs with the Rams before his release. He injured his ACL in late July 2024, so he's had almost a year to recover. Advertisement The Rams are down to just three former Georgia Bulldogs now. Los Angeles has quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett along with offensive lineman Warren McClendon on their roster. This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Rams waive former Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Derion Kendrick
USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
Jacksonville Jaguars pick All-Pro cornerback in PFF's 2011 NFL redraft
Jacksonville Jaguars pick All-Pro cornerback in PFF's 2011 NFL redraft In PFF's 2011 NFL redraft, the Jacksonville Jaguars pick an All-Pro cornerback. With the benefit of hindsight and thier grading system, Pro Football Focus went back and redrafted the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. So, who did the Jacksonville Jaguars come away with this time? After an 8-8 season in 2010, the Jaguars originally held the 16th overall pick in 2011, but would move up to pick No. 10 in a trade with Washington in order to take quarterback Blaine Gabbert. However, in this redraft, the Jaguars stayed put at pick 16 and selected Kansas cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who originally went undrafted. "In this redraft, Jacksonville scoops up the best undrafted player from the 2011 class in Chris Harris Jr," wrote PFF. "He garnered an elite 93.5 PFF overall grade across his 12 seasons, which included four trips to the Pro Bowl." Harris would end up playing 12 NFL seasons and was a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro. He was also named a member of the All-2010s team. Harris appeared in 172 games, which included 145 starts during his time with Denver, the LA Chargers, and the New Orleans Saints. He came away with 22 interceptions, 97 pass deflections, and seven forced fumbles. Gabbert, meanwhile, would play only three seasons with the Jaguars. Over the span, he started 27 games and completed just 53% of his passes with 24 interceptions to 22 touchdowns while averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt. Gabbert was traded to San Francisco during the 2014 offseason and was an NFL backup through the 2023 season, which included winning a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay behind Tom Brady and in Kansas City behind Patrick Mahomes.
