The Miami Dolphins need cornerback help, and they recognized that Jaire Alexander was an option, to the point that they reportedly reached out to him.
"Dolphins ended up calling on Jaire Alexander but didn't feel comfortable making a competitive offer yet, until it can trade (Jalen) Ramsey, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. "Alexander didn't want to wait on anything after getting an opportunity with Baltimore, where he agreed to terms today (one year, $4 M, another $2 M in incentives)."
Chris Grier does a lot of things that leave fans scratching their heads, and while Alexander may not be the best option for the Dolphins, given his injury history, he is still better than what Miami has on its roster right now.
The Dolphins made an attempt to get him but didn't make a move because they hadn't traded Ramsey yet.
It's unclear how the conversation with Alexander's agent may have gone, but it sounds like the problem wasn't so much money as much as it was timing.
Dolphins apparently pass on Jaire Alexander because he didn't want to wait for Chris Grier
Alexander ended up signing a deal with the Ravens for $4 million guaranteed, with a potential to reach $6 million. It would've been an easy contract for the Dolphins to absorb, regardless of the Ramsey situation. Miami doesn't just need to replace Ramsey; it needs competition for the vacated spot left by Kendall Fuller's release.
Miami seems perfectly fine with letting Storm Duck and Cam Smith battle it out for a starting job, but Dolphins fans don't see it as the kind of competition you have when your star defender on the other side is heading out the door.
The Dolphins face a critical season, at least that is what the media believes. Grier, however, continues to operate without a care in the world, and his team may suffer as a result. Mike McDaniel may be theoretically on the hot seat, but Grier is doing him no favors, either.
Alexander's injury history is concerning, having missed 34 of the Green Bay Packers' past 68 games, which raises questions about his availability. That isn't the issue here. You don't reach out to a player you are interested in and expect them to wait for you to make a decision.
The Dolphins missed out.