Picture this: 2018, rookie Jaire Alexander exploding into the Vikings’ backfield like a human wrecking ball, flattening two Pro Bowlers on a single screen pass. It wasn’t just a tackle; it was an announcement. That same seismic energy arrived in Baltimore this June when the Ravens signed the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback. Suddenly, the calculus in the Ravens’ stacked secondary shifted overnight. As analyst Nikhil Mehta (@nikknowsball) puts it, the ripple effects are real, and they lap hardest at the feet of 2024 fourth-rounder T.J. Tampa.
“Look, Tampa had a pretty strong spring, I would say,” Mehta noted, dissecting the Ravens’ minicamp dynamics. “Given the lack of aggressiveness that quarterbacks are allowed to have… Tampa made a number of good plays on the ball.” Indeed, the Iowa State product snagged back-to-back interceptions during mandatory sessions, showcasing sticky coverage and a nose for the football–toe–tapping grabs that screamed potential.
Now, here’s where the plot thickens like Baltimore’s infamous crab stew. While Alexander’s arrival reshuffles the deck, let’s bust a myth floating around social media: the idea that fourth-rounder T.J. Tampa stumbled at minicamp. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Tampa was electric, snagging back-to-back interceptions during mandatory sessions, including a toe-tapping end-zone gem that had coaches nodding. He landed among the top 10 practice performers, earning raves for his instincts and seam coverage. Team reports flat-out called his play “impressive.”
So why the “unfortunate loser” label buzzing online? Blame the clickbait vortex. A viral clip, stripped of context and dripping with sensationalism, portrayed him through a lens of loserhood. The reality Tampa balled out. His “loss” isn’t about performance; it’s about the brutal calculus of an NFL depth chart suddenly stacked with proven talent.
Nikhil Mehta (@nikknowsball) explains why despite Ravens CB T.J. Tampa having a “pretty strong spring” of practices, he ended up as an unfortunate loser of minicamp pic.twitter.com/nBCM63hsYu
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) June 26, 2025
As Mehta framed it: “He is kind of a loser, if you wanna term it that way, from this Jaire Alexander signing.” It’s not that Tampa faded – it’s that Alexander’s shadow stretches long, making that climb from promising depth piece to meaningful snaps feel like scaling a cliff in cleats. Add a hernia surgery landing him on the PUP list, and his path to the field in 2025 now demands not just excellence, but patience and opportunity.
Tampa was likely battling Joejuan Williams for the CB3 spot behind rookie Nate Wiggins. “Even if he lost it, could have very much seen him taking that job over during the regular season. Now it just seems like it’s very hard for him to get on the field barring an injury.” Alexander’s presence doesn’t just add a starter; it casts a long, experienced shadow over the depth chart.
Add Tampa’s recent hernia surgery landing him on the PUP list, and his path to defensive snaps this season feels like navigating M&T Bank Stadium blindfolded.
Oweh’s vision: Alexander coverage chaos fuels the pass rush frenzy
While Tampa navigates the sudden logjam, another Raven sees Alexander’s arrival not as a problem, but pure rocket fuel. Breakout edge rusher Odafe Oweh – fresh off a career-high 10-sack season that anchored Baltimore’s league-second 54 sacks – sees the dominoes falling perfectly.
Forget complex schemes; Oweh’s assessment is beautifully primal. “More sacks, more sacks. That’s all I said,” Oweh declared on ‘The SiriusXM Blitz,’ his voice crackling with anticipation. “So, I am excited to see what he can do… If they get interceptions, we get sacks, we’ll be the best defense.”
Oweh knows the symbiosis. Sticky coverage like Alexander’s (71.2 PFF coverage grade in limited 2024 action, top 16% among CBs) forces quarterbacks to hold the ball a heartbeat longer. That’s all a predator like Oweh, who racked up 48 pressures last year (ranked 29th among edges), needs.
His own journey mirrors the relentless improvement he demands of the entire unit. From a raw athletic marvel who didn’t play organized football until high school junior year to a refined technician doubling his sack output in Year 4 (5.0 avg before 2024’s 10.0 surge), Oweh embodies evolution.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 20: inebacker Odafe Oweh #99 of the Baltimore Ravens in action against the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
His offseason grind saw him bulk up to 265 lbs seeking more power, all while sketching art for focus and running his “Dafe Oweh Family Fund” supporting Nigerian and American youth. This holistic drive fuels his vision for the defense. “Just take care of the football and cause turnovers,”
Oweh emphasized, referencing the painful Divisional Round loss to Buffalo, where the Ravens lost the turnover battle 3–0. “If we just continue to be the type of defense that we are in the regular season and realize that we are enough… play your one-elevens, we’re going to win. I feel like if we do that, we’re hoisting the Lombardi.” Undoubtedly, the Ravens need to work along those lines.
Alexander’s lockdown prowess is the final piece Oweh believes unlocks that championship-level chaos. It’s a defensive ecosystem where the back end’s blanket coverage (Alexander, Wiggins, Stephens, Humphrey) tangles receivers. Hence, giving the front’s hungry wolves (Oweh, rising alongside Kyle Van Noy and David Ojabo) precious extra time to hunt. Think ‘Madden Ultimate Team’ chemistry boosts, but breathing, bleeding, and hitting way harder.
As the Ravens prep for a gauntlet opening slate (@Bills, vs. Browns, vs. Lions, @Chiefs!), this interconnected strength, forged in the heat of a suddenly even more competitive Owings Mills camp – could be what bends the arc of their season towards glory. One thing’s certain: Jaire Alexander’s arrival sent shockwaves through Baltimore, creating both unexpected roadblocks and thrilling new avenues on the road to February. The game, as they whisper in Baltimore, remains undefeated in its capacity to surprise.
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