The Miami Dolphins have needed cornerback help since the start of free agency. Chris Grier's solutions to the problems have been questionable, to say the least. While he is criticized for not doing enough, Dolphins fans can take comfort in knowing he didn't miss on Jaire Alexander.
The Ravens added the former Green Bay Packers before the start of training camp. Miami fans saw Alexander as a potential replacement for Jalen Ramsey, but Grier had made it clear that he didn't want to do anything until Ramsey was traded.
That decision has worked in his favor at the position. Alexander, a quality corner when healthy, has struggled to stay on the field. So far with the Baltimore Ravens, he is still standing on the sidelines.
Miami Dolphins avoided CB disaster by missing out on Jaire Alexander
The Packers released Alexander in early June. A few days later, he signed with the Ravens for an incentive-laden one-year contract worth up to $6 million. The Dolphins reportedly had interest in Alexander, but the hangup was the Ramsey situation.
According to Ravens head coach Jim Harbaugh, Alexander is missing practice due to an injury issue that "He has been dealing with for years."
Alexander has had knee issues, and while he is a better-than-average corner when healthy, Miami avoided paying for yet another cornerback who might inevitably not get on the field. Of course, Grier did sign Artie Burns during free agency. Burns lasted one warm-up session at practice before tearing his ACL.
The Dolphins believe in their corner unit. Mike McDaniel recently spoke to the media via a Zoom call and said they know what their corners are capable of and have watched them get better in practice. He said that signing another cornerback could be a possibility, but stopped short of saying anything detailed.
“Inherent in our job responsibilities is that we consider everything... There’s a possibility we could add somebody. There’s a possibility... better players could already be on our roster," McDaniel said on the call.
The Dolphins need to figure something out, but chances are, at this point, a veteran corner will not be added until after the first week of the season, when contracts are not automatically guaranteed. Miami will also keep an eye on the transactions around the league when teams begin to finalize their 2025 rosters.