5:00 AM: When Jaire Alexander learned over the weekend that he was going to be traded from Baltimore to Philadelphia, his mother, Tawanda, couldn’t hold back her excitement.

Alexander was born at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia and grew up an Eagles fan. He moved to North Carolina, but returned to visit family in Philadelphia during the summertime of his childhood. In his first interview since becoming an Eagle, Alexander rattled off the Eagles legends from the 2000s that he grew up watching: Brian Dawkins, DeSean Jackson, Michael Vick, Lito Sheppard, Brian Westbrook, and Jeremiah Trotter.

Now, he’s in the same locker room where those Eagles greats once roamed.

“I’m just glad it finally came to fruition. I feel like I’m at a new school or something, you know, just meeting new people,” Alexander said. “I’m just going to bring leadership. I’m going to bring some energy and bring some swag, you know, confidence, and hopefully, you know, hopefully we all can feed off one another, feed off that, and, you know, take this thing to the next level.”

The Eagles brought Alexander in for a pre-draft visit before the cornerback was the 18th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Louisville. Selected by this week’s opponent, the Green Bay Packers.

“I was like, ‘Wow, this is amazing. Dream come true,'” Alexander said. “t’s going to be nostalgic. You know, it’s going to be fun seeing the guys that I grew up with.

“The challenge is obvious. They’re a good offense. They’re really good on third down. Those guys are a talented group.”

A two-time All-Pro, Alexander’s 2024 season was cut short due to a knee injury, which caused him to miss the playoff matchup against the Eagles. He was released by Green Bay and signed with Baltimore. He appeared in two games, but was still working his way back from the injury.

Now, Alexander says, “This is the best I’ve felt.” He’s been studying with Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Christian Parker, who was an assistant coach in Green Bay during Alexander’s time. Alexander joked that they’re best friends at this point since they’ve spent so much time together.

Whether Alexander will suit up to play against his former team remains to be seen. But he recognizes that he has a “real opportunity” to get back on track in Philadelphia. – Chris McPherson