For the second time this season, a veteran defensive player has shocked the Philadelphia Eagles by stepping away from the team.
This time, it was a player who had yet to play a game for the Eagles — 2-time NFL All-Pro and 2-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander — after they obtained him in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens on November 2.
“Former Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander has decided to step away from football to try to focus on getting himself right physically and mentally before deciding on his future,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Jay Glazer wrote on his official X account on Tuesday, November 11. “Alexander informed the Eagles of his decision today.”
On October 13, veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith went on Instagram to announce his sudden retirement just one month after signing a 1-year, $4.25 million contract with the Eagles.
Smith, 33 years old, played in 5 games with the Eagles, with 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
“I’m told Jaire is contemplating retirement but for now is stepping away to think through his next steps,” The Athetic’s Diana Russini wrote on her official X account. “Sources tell me and Mike Silver the Eagles have kept conversations private over the last few days.”
Eagles Desperate to Add Competent CB
Alexander was the third cornerback the Eagles have traded for this season following deals for Jakorian Bennett and Michael Carter II, but it was Alexander who seemed to have the highest upside of the 3.
He also had the highest unpredictability factor. Alexander was a first round pick (No. 18 overall) by the Green Bay Packers in the 2018 NFL draft and was one of the NFL’s dominant cornerbacks for the first part of his career, earning NFL All-Pro honors in 2020 and 2022.
Alexander, who signed a whopping 4-year, $84 million contract extension in May 2022 which included a $30 million signing bonus, has seen his career defined by odd behavior and injuries as much as by his prodigious talent.
Since 2021, Alexander has missed 33 regular season games due to injuries or suspension, including only playing 4 games in 2021 and 7 games each in 2023 and 2024.
In one bizarre incident, Alexander was suspended for 1 game for conduct detrimental to the team after he appointed himself a team captain for a road game against the Carolina Panthers because the game was close to his hometown — something Green Bay’s coaches had no idea was happening.
Alexander went so far as to call the coin toss, won it, and incorrectly asked for the Packers to be on defense first — meaning they would have kicked off both halves — but since he wasn’t actually a team captain he was overruled.
Alexander Seemed Happy To Be In Philly
On November 7, Alexander said the transition to the Eagles was “easy” during a conversation with Philadelphia media and denied it was any sort of physical issues which held him back in Baltimore, where he signed a 1-year, $4.5 million contract for 2025.
The Eagles are 7-2 and trying to win a second consecutive Super Bowl.
“It’s like being in a new school, getting to know everybody,” Alexander said in a video posted to YouTube. “This is amazing … dream come true (being with Eagles).”
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