Texans Gifted Perfect Replacement for Recently Retired Defender

The Houston Texans should consider signing Jaire Alexander after Ronald Darby unexpectedly retired last week.
Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks on during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at NRG Stadium.
Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks on during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Last week, the Houston Texans received shocking news as veteran cornerback Ronald Darby informed them that he would be retiring. It wasn’t what the Texans were expecting to hear as they signed Darby to a one-year, $2 million deal earlier this offseason.

Houston was hoping that Darby could be their CB3 on the outside, behind the likes of All-Pro Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. However, the Texans are now left with Tremon Smith and rookie Jaylin Smith as possible CB3 options.

While the Texans would love to get the rookie on the field as soon as possible, they would also want a quality veteran, especially if they were to lose Stingley or Lassiter to injury. Luckily for Houston, the perfect replacement for the recently retired Darby just hit the open market on Monday morning.

Packers Release All-Pro CB Jaire Alexander After Seven Seasons in Green Bay

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Packers are releasing All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander. Rapoport adds that the Packers and Alexander agreed on exploring a possible trade this offseason, along with a contract restructure.

However, in the end, the Packers felt the best course of action was to cut the veteran defender, who should have some suitors on the open market.

Nonetheless, Houston should submit an inquiry to Alexander’s representation to gauge potential interest. When healthy, Alexander is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and he would give the Texans another shutdown option that they can throw out there.

That said, Alexander’s health has not been the greatest over the last two years. The veteran defensive back has only played in 14 games over that stretch, which is unfathomable given that there are 17 games in an NFL regular season.

Last season, the 28-year-old cornerback missed a couple of games because of a groin injury and was ultimately shut down for the rest of the campaign due to a PCL injury. In the games Alexander played in, he had 16 combined tackles, seven pass deflections, two interceptions (one returned for a TD), and a fumble recovery.

The veteran defensive back also had a 56.7 completion percentage allowed on targets, an 86.9 pass rating allowed on targets, while giving up three touchdowns. Even though he was banged and fighting through a knee injury, Alexander still turned in solid numbers.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the price tag is for Alexander since he’s been banged up. He likely won’t command a multi-year deal, making a one-year deal appealing for a team like Houston, which could bolster an already good unit in a competitive conference.

More Houston Texans News and Rumors: