‘Legion of Boom’ creator Pete Carroll knows a thing or two about defensive backs–the current Las Vegas Raiders head coach has made that much clear throughout his football journey.
When Pete Carroll is scouring the defensive back market to add to his team’s arsenal, he isn’t searching for just anyone with football traits.
Sure, possessing built-up skill and natural god given talent always makes for an intriguing addition when one such player is available.
But it isn’t the defining factor Carroll is looking for.
Dominance is what the legendary 73-year-old coach is searching to find when it comes to defensive backs. Not necessarily on the stat-sheet, but on the field; a physically dominant player who looks to enforce their will on their opposition as often as possible.
A high-motor individual who buys what Carroll is selling and gives first-hand demonstrations on the field. One with an infectious presence that spreads to the entire team.
A player cut from the same cloth as Jaire Alexander.
After nearly 50 years of coaching secondary players to some degree, you can bet Carroll has found a recipe for favorable cornerbacks: physically dominant alpha dogs who come equipped with instincts and ball skills.
Length and high-tier athleticism are always bonuses, but they aren’t a requirement in Carroll’s way of doing things. Take Richard Sherman, for example, who clocked a less-than-ideal 4.56 40-time. Much of Sherman’s time was spent playing one side of the field, even.
But it didn’t matter.
Why, you ask? Because the drive was there. The dominance was there. The ball skills and instincts remained evident throughout his 11-year career.
And while Sherman had a towering 6-foot-3 height, that isn’t the case for others Carroll has added to his squad over the years.
Most recently, Devon Witherspoon, Carroll’s fifth-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, serves as an example. On top of standing only 6-feet even off the ground, Witherspoon possesses a 73 5/8″ wingspan.
A wingspan shorter than the 74 3/4″ reach of 5-foot-10 Jaire Alexander.
Jaire Alexander, the picture-perfect Pete Carroll cornerback
The traits that made Devon Witherspoon stand out to Carroll are the ones Alexander too possesses. Perhaps that’s why the 28-year-old was once a first-round selection himself.
When Witherspoon took the field at Illinois, he seemed to have one intention–let opposing offenses know where he was each down. Whether by way of making a play that ends up on the stat-sheet or simply enforcing his will on his opposition, Witherspoon successfully achieved that goal on a snap-by-snap basis.
Such a strong will to dominate spread to his secondary-mates, helping Illinois alums Quan Martin and Sydney Brown become Day 2 selections in the same draft.
Things aren’t much different with Alexander in that department.
Upon joining the Green Bay Packers in 2021, cornerback Rasul Douglas enjoyed a complete career resurgence. From ’21-’22, the now-former Packer totaled nine interceptions with two forced fumbles and two pick-sixes. Prior to teaming up with Alexander, Douglas was responsible for five total interceptions and zero forced fumbles over 60 outings.
Perhaps a similar sentiment can be extended to safety Adrian Amos, who posted career-highs in interceptions, pass deflections, sacks and tackles behind the line of scrimmage in Green Bay alongside the current free agent cornerback.
This infectious playstyle is exactly why Carroll values cornerbacks the way he does. High-energy coupled with a will to dominate is contagious; the Legion of Boom proved that true in a big way.
The pairing: Alexander and the Las Vegas Raiders
While Jalen Ramsey is a name on the mind of many fans this offseason, Alexander is the more sensible route. Beyond the fit with Carroll, it’s largely due to Alexander simply being a free agent with no contractual obligations to inherit.
Ramsey, on the other hand, is on the books until the 2029 offseason. That stands true even if the Raiders make a trade for the 30-year-old.
To say nothing of giving up zero assets upon acquiring the now-former Green Bay cornerback, unlike the case with Ramsey.
With Alexander, the concerns lay in the availability department. It’s now been two consecutive seasons where the two-time All-Pro has appeared in less than eight contests. And while he took the field for 16 games during his ’22 campaign, Alexander was only available for four weeks during the ’21 season.
Still, the on-field results certainly don’t lie.
This past year, for example, Alexander held opposing quarterbacks to a 56% completion percentage when throwing his way. He was able to notch two interceptions in a seven-game span while knocking away one additional would-be completion.
In 2022, during his only healthy campaign over the last four years, the two-time Pro Bowler was responsible for a 60.6% completion percentage on passes his way while totaling five interceptions and another three deflections.
The ball skills and instincts remain on display when Alexander takes the field. His presence and physical dominance is undeniable as well.
And, as history has shown, his teammates galvanize around such a strong will and high motor.
All of this is what Pete Carroll is looking for with the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s what Jaire Alexander offers to any team that’s interested. With $36.1 million in cap space, the fifth-most league-wide, perhaps this hand-in-glove fit will materialize into reality.
More to come on this front as time marches onward.
*Top Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
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