Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was surprised on the first day of training camp when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw a back shoulder pass against him.
"I said, 'Come on, man. I know it's my first day, but it's still me,'" Alexander said Thursday with a smile.
In his first public comments since signing with the Ravens in June, Alexander made it clear that the biggest reason why he joined Baltimore was to reunite with Jackson. They were teammates at Louisville from 2015 to 2017 and have been close friends since.
A day before Alexander's free agent visit to Baltimore in June, Jackson implored general manager Eric DeCosta to sign Alexander. Then, after Alexander signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Ravens on June 18, he was immediately greeted by Jackson, who gave him a hug.
"That's my boy," Alexander said. "It's funny, we were always talking about this. I'm happy."
Alexander paused when asked if he would have signed with the Ravens if Jackson wasn't in Baltimore.
"Ah, that'd be tough, man," Alexander said. "I would probably explore more options. But that's my boy and I want to win one [Super Bowl] with him."
Alexander, 28, was cut by the Green Bay Packers on June 9 after the sides failed to agree on a restructured contract. A first-round pick in 2018, Alexander had two years remaining on a four-year, $84 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at the time.
Injuries derailed Alexander's career in Green Bay. He was an All-Pro in 2020 and 2022, but he played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 season.
"Looking back to Green Bay, I made some long-lasting relationships there," Alexander said. "I got nothing but love for the city. I just want to move forward and focus on how I can excel here and how we can get that Super Bowl."
Asked if he has the Ravens' Week 17 game in Green Bay circled, Alexander said, "Nah, I circle every week. Everybody is going to get it."
Alexander said he feels great physically. He's made a strong first impression in breaking up passes in his first two practices with the Ravens.
Alexander joins a talented Baltimore secondary that includes two first-round cornerbacks in Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins. Humphrey said he's talked with Alexander about how he will move to cover the slot when Alexander plays outside corner.
"He's a guy that I think it's going to be really fun to play with," Humphrey said. "What I like the most is his swag to the game. I think confidence is the biggest key you can have at corner."