Gerald Alexander is an Underrated Addition for Raiders

Originally posted on FanNation Raider Maven
By Aidan Champion | Last updated 2/26/24

The Las Vegas Raiders did not make any changes to their defensive coaching staff this offseason, but the ones they made should be impactful.

Per the Raiders' final 2024 coaching staff list that the club revealed on Friday, one of the defensive hires was former Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, who will serve as the Raiders' safeties coach.

While Alexander has only been coaching in the NFL since 2020, he has coached some of the league's top defensive backs in that short period.

As defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 and 2021 NFL seasons, Alexander helped coach four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard to an All-Pro season and back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances. Howard led the league with 10 interceptions and 20 passes defensed in that All-Pro season (2020).

After being fired by the Dolphins in February 2022, Alexander was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he served as assistant defensive backs coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

While in Pittsburgh, Alexander helped coach one of the league's best safeties, Minkah Fitzpatrick. He was named a Pro Bowler and Associated Press All-Pro First Team honoree for the 2022 season, his third time receiving honors for both. He was also named to this past season's Pro Bowl.

Before his days coaching in the NFL, Alexander coached for seven seasons at the college ranks, having stints with Arkansas State, Washington, Indiana State, Montana State, and California.

Alexander played five seasons as a defensive back in the NFL, starting with the Detroit Lions, who selected him in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Carolina Panthers, the Dolphins, and the New York Jets.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.

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This article first appeared on FanNation Raider Maven and was syndicated with permission.

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