The Falcoholic
Both come with question marks at this stage, but the always-shuffling Falcons may still come calling.
A pair of veteran defenders with solid resumes have hit the market in early June. Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt and Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander are the first big-name players to fall victim to the post-June 1 deadline.
The Atlanta Falcons didn’t make any drastic roster improvements at cornerback. They brought back almost everyone from last year, and UDFA Cobee Bryant was their most notable rookie addition. At inside linebacker, the team added Devine Deablo for $7M over two years, but that contract shouldn’t deter them from an upgrade for the right price. The question is: Are either of these players actually going to add to the Falcons' win total in 2025?
Both players were cut for different reasons. Pratt—like his former teammate Trey Hendrickson—was seeking an extension/pay increase, but the Bengals were unwilling to give in. Alexander already got his big money deal but has been a disappointment (and problem child) since.
Pratt was key to the Super Bowl-contending Bengals' 2021-2022 defense. While never really being more than just an average player, he had a knack for making big plays and improved each year in his role, earning him a contract extension going into 2023. Pratt could contribute right away, especially as a MIKE, but that’s not a position teams typically overspend on unless they are certified elite, to which he is not.
Pratt’s previous deal was worth an annual average value of $6.75M. It’s hard to imagine the Falcons giving him a better per-year figure than that, along with whatever terms he’s looking for on the length.
Jaire Alexander is a two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro player, but he looks like a shell of his former self. The once reliable man coverage ability is essentially gone. His instincts and ball skills could transfer to a zone-heavy scheme, but the corner can’t stay healthy. In his entire professional career, Alexander has only played one full season—2019. He’s only played 50% of games the past four seasons; the best ability is availability.
You would think a guy who got his money and has been missing all this time would be a good company man during the midst of all these unfortunate events, but it’s quite the opposite. Alexander was a headache. His name would frequently come up during weekly pressers, and by the end of his time in Green Bay, it was clear the staff's patience had worn thin.
If an organization as well-run as the Packers doesn’t believe you can contribute to wins anymore, that should set off alarms for perennial losers. This isn’t a team taking what they had for granted; it’s an example of knowing when to cut your losses, a concept that other franchise *cough* Atlanta *cough* struggle with. This situation reminds me a lot of Jeff Okudah, who burned out in his one season with Atlanta due to health and performance issues. That situation cost...
