The Los Angeles Chargers shifted gears at the cornerback position this offseason, choosing to re-sign Asante Samuel Jr. or Kristian Fulton in free agency. To replace them, the team signed Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste in free agency and then added Trikweze Bridges in the seventh round of the draft.
Some skeptics will say that won’t be enough as too much pressure could be placed on second-year players Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still. Could the Chargers entertain a trade for a veteran cornerback?
If they do, Matt Bowen of ESPN feels there is one cornerback who is a perfect fit for Jesse Minter’s defense, Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers.
The Chargers signed Donte Jackson to a two-year deal and Benjamin St-Juste to a one-year contract this offseason. However, if Alexander is available in a trade, he would be seen as an upgrade in Jesse Minter’s defensive system. The Chargers are zone heavy, playing both single-high Cover 3 and split-safety schemes. Alexander has the play instincts and foot quickness to match routes, and his transition speed allows him to make plays on the ball. Alexander has intercepted 12 passes and broken up 57 in his career”, wrote Bowen.
Alexander’s talent is not in doubt, but the Packers wouldn’t be looking to trade him if it was all about talent. Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported back in February that undisclosed sources have told him that there is frustration in Alexander being unwilling to play through injuries.
Alexander has played in just seven games in each of the last two seasons.
Then there is the matter of his contract. With two years remaining on the four-year, $84 million deal he signed following the 2022 season, the Packers would eat $17 million in dead cap if they traded him. Knowing that teams around the league likely won’t offer the Packers top compensation in a potential deal, which could prompt Green Bay to just hang onto him.
The Chargers do have some questions at the cornerback position and those will linger into the regular season if the team doesn’t bring in another veteran. Hart and Still were both good as rookies, but are they ready to take on bigger roles?
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