Raise your hand if you had Denzel Ward as the cornerback that was going to receive the biggest contract of the offseason?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Yea, it's probably safe to assume that no one outside of the Browns front office had that in mind. And that's OK, because we all love a good surprise when it comes to the NFL, right?

That may be true, but I can guarantee the Packers weren't big fans of the surprise that Ward and the Browns presented in the form of Ward's massive contract. Because now, Jaire Alexander has a helluva starting point when it comes to extension talks with the Packers.

Alexander has proven himself to be one of the best corners in the NFL and he'll get to show off his abilities as a shadow in 2022. The Packers have already discussed the likelihood of Alexander shadowing opponents frequently, which makes sense considering he was one of the league's best corners in man-to-man in 2020.

“With Ja [Alexander], he’s going to go where some of the receivers are going to go,” Gutekunst said a few weeks ago. “He’s going to follow some of those guys in different packages. He can do everything. It’s a nice luxury for us to have.”

If he stacks up another year like he did in 2020, then it's easy to see why he could cost as much if not more than Ward in 2023. Per Pro Football Focus, Alexander finished with a 90.6 coverage grade, which was the best grade among all corners with at least 279 pass coverage snaps. He allowed the fourth-lowest completion percentage (50.7%), had the third-highest forced incompletion percentage (19%), ninth-lowest missed tackle rate, and quarterbacks averaged the seventh-worst quarterback rating (68.3) when targeting him in coverage.

And, he only had one penalty.

Ward is a very good player. He's arguably great. However, the only number he's matched or surpassed out of the numbers listed above is in 2019 when he allowed a 58.0 quarterback rating.

Alexander didn't play man often, but when he did, quarterbacks averaged a 58.3 quarterback rating when targeting him. That was the ninth-lowest rating among corners with at least 279 pass coverage snaps. Quarterbacks averaged an 82.3 rating when targeting Ward in man, for comparison's sake.

Alexander was very good in zone coverage, as well. He had the fifth-highest forced incompletion percentage (17%) and allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage. Quarterbacks averaged a 78.3 rating when targeting him in coverage, but that was well below the average rating allowed by qualifying corners.

It's not just about coverage when it comes to Alexander's game, either. He's a solid tackler and he's an effective blitzer when asked to be.

Everywhere you look, you see Alexander's potential and production as he enters his prime. And it's not just the 2020 season. 2018 and 2019 were solid years, as well.

The one area -and a reason why Ward got paid- is interceptions. As great as Alexander is, he hasn't shown a consistent ability to produce turnovers. That could be because he was only targeted 69 times in 2020, which ranked 40th out of 95 qualifying corners. The one year when he was targeted often, 2019, is the year where he set a career-high in interceptions (2). Maybe that's a coincidence, maybe not. Either, way one could argue a lack of opportunity is a part of why he only has five career picks.

He should have more opportunities for more plays in 2022 as he follows top targets around, but there's a lot to be said about not being thrown at, anyway. So, it's still considered a win for Alexander. QBs are respecting him by not risking throwing his way.

The Packers have big plans for Alexander in 2022. If he can show that he can stay healthy and perform at a high level, then he's going to get paid. There's no other way around it. Especially after Ward's record-setting contract.

So what does it mean for Alexander and the Packers?

It means the Packers need to get a head start on extending Alexander and they need to do it before the end of 2022 if they want their best shot at keeping him.

What happens in 2023 is anyone's guess. But it's a certainty that there will be a bidding war for Alexander's services. And the last thing the Packers need/want is to lose a great player and for an already-expensive contract becoming even more so.

You need good corners to be a good defense in today's NFL. The Packers will have the resources to pay Alexander in 2023, but they'll be hard-pressed to do so -the majority of NFL teams would be, as well- if he balls out in 2022 and wants Ward money in 2022.

As they say: the early bird gets the worm. Go get your No. 1 cornerback, Green Bay.

Featured image via Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports