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New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
Ravens are enjoying the Jaire Alexander experience, and the feeling is mutual
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, the second-longest-tenured player on the team, could tell early on that Jaire Alexander would fit in well in Baltimore. In the weeks before veterans reported to training camp, Humphrey got text messages from Alexander that included observations and opinions as the longtime Green Bay Packer watched film of the Ravens' defense. Alexander told Humphrey he was especially impressed with a clip of Humphrey trying to fight two Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen during a game last season. Advertisement After arriving at training camp, Alexander quickly linked up with 'The Breakfast Club,' a small group of Ravens that meet at 6 a.m. in the weight room at the Under Armour Performance Center for an early morning workout. Alexander, though, had one request: He wanted a speaker placed right where the players were working out, rather than relying on the ones in the ceiling. 'He said, 'No, I need the boombox right by here, right in my ear,' and I'm like, 'All right, that's different,'' Humphrey said. 'It has been exciting, but what I like the most is just his swag to the game. I think confidence is the biggest key you can have at cornerback, and I think you can never have too much confidence. I think he's a perfect fit for our secondary.' In Wednesday's first training camp practice, Alexander broke up two passes and made one known by breaking out his trademark seatbelt celebration and preening to the crowd. On Thursday, Alexander was beaten on a deep ball by second-year wide receiver Devontez Walker. Alexander wanted a rematch and got the better of Walker on the second rep, registering the pass breakup and letting Walker know about it afterward. When the one-on-one segment ended, just as Alexander was set to match up against tight end Mark Andrews, the cornerback expressed his displeasure to anybody within earshot. 'I wanted one more, just one more rep,' Alexander said after Thursday's practice. The Ravens are enjoying the full Alexander experience, and the feeling is mutual. After seven years in Green Bay, a period that saw Alexander get selected to two Pro Bowls, become the highest-paid cornerback in league history, miss 34 total games over the last four seasons and ultimately get released by the Packers in early June, Alexander is fully embracing his new NFL home. 'I'm in love. What can I say? The weather is great. The fans are great. The city is great, so I think I'm in a great place,' Alexander said in his first media availability since joining the team. 'It's actually an amazing feeling. Defense wins championships, so I'm in the right place to do that.' Advertisement The Ravens signed Alexander, 28, to a one-year, $4 million deal less than two weeks after his release from Green Bay. Interested in playing for a Super Bowl contender and wanting to reunite with his former Louisville teammate, quarterback Lamar Jackson, Alexander had the Ravens on his short list of teams he was interested in. Baltimore had long admired Alexander as a player and had contemplated trading for him during the 2024 season. Despite returning perennial Pro Bowler Humphrey and 2024 first-round pick Nate Wiggins, and signing veteran Chidobe Awuzie while also drafting four total cornerbacks over the past two years, Baltimore learned long ago that it can never have enough players at the position. However, when Alexander traveled to Baltimore for a free-agent visit, he wasn't fully sold on the fact that he would be signing with the Ravens. It didn't take long after he arrived for him to reach that point. 'Vibes never lie,' Alexander said. 'I am big on energy and energy exchange, so I got good vibes here, and it seemed like they wanted me here, and they cared. So, that played the biggest part in it.' I was just making sure 😅⚡️ — Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) July 24, 2025 Now, the Ravens hope Alexander bucks a trend and stays healthy. If he does, the Ravens could have one of the top secondaries in the NFL. Yet, Alexander played just four games in 2021 and seven each in 2023 and 2024. When he's been healthy, he's been one of the league's top corners. However, since 2020, the only season in which he managed to stay healthy was the 2022 campaign. He played in 16 games, registered five interceptions and 14 pass breakups and made his second Pro Bowl. 'Physically, I'm great,' Alexander said. 'I'm out there practicing, so I can't thank God enough.' Alexander said the culture in Baltimore is different than the one he was used to in Green Bay. He also said the intensity of training camp practices is ratcheted up from his previous experiences. Despite a tumultuous ending, Alexander said he had a great time in Green Bay, built many long-term relationships and appreciated the Packers' organization and the city. Advertisement Asked if he's circled the Ravens' Week 17 matchup against the Packers on his calendar, Alexander said, 'No, I circle every week. Everybody's going to get it.' • Defenses are typically ahead of offenses this time of year. That was no different Wednesday, a session dominated by Baltimore's defensive unit. However, Humphrey said the defense came away from Wednesday's first practice disappointed in its play and its inability to force turnovers. 'Turnovers are, by far, the biggest thing that has been preached,' Humphrey said. The Ravens finished tied for 20th in the NFL last season with just 17 takeaways. They lost the turnover battle, 3-0, in the season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round. Those results have made forcing turnovers a top priority for the defense heading into the season. The focus showed in Thursday's practice as the defense registered three interceptions in emerging as the clear winner from the workout. Inside linebacker Trenton Simpson got the first one, picking off a Jackson pass that hit off the hands of tight end Isaiah Likely. A few plays later, undrafted rookie safety Reuben Lowery, who seems to be around the ball a lot, corralled an errant throw from Devin Leary. Later in practice, rookie first-round pick Malaki Starks intercepted a Jackson overthrow right outside the end zone. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith also forced a fumble by punching one out of tight end Charlie Kolar's hands, but Kolar fell on the loose ball. • The lone new practice absence for the Ravens was wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Coach John Harbaugh said the Ravens kept Hopkins sidelined 'out of an abundance of caution' after the 33-year-old fell hard on his leg while making a back-shoulder catch Wednesday. It doesn't sound like Hopkins will miss too much time. Second-year receiver Dayton Wade left practice early with an undisclosed issue. Advertisement • Tyler Loop got the day off from live action Thursday, leaving all the kicking reps to John Hoyland. The undrafted kicker out of Wyoming had a nice day, converting on all nine of his attempts during team periods. Hoyland's long was 43 yards. • The offensive play of the day came courtesy of a deep Jackson to Rashod Bateman touchdown. Jackson placed the ball perfectly between Wiggins and safety Kyle Hamilton. Bateman ran under it to make the catch. Beyond the turnovers, the defensive play of the day occurred when Smith stayed step for step with Justice Hill and never lost sight of the ball. Smith prevented what looked like a sure completion by wrestling the ball out of Hill's hands about 35 yards downfield. • Outside linebacker David Ojabo and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, two returning players perceived to be on the roster bubble, are both off to solid starts in camp. Ojabo broke up a pass in Wednesday's practice and has given starting right tackle Roger Rosengarten some issues in each of the first two days. Armour-Davis, meanwhile, had two pass breakups Thursday and went tumbling through a makeshift fence, set up to keep fans and reporters at an appropriate distance from the field, on one of them.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kohl's shares quickly rose in a 'meme-stock' rally. What to know.
Kohl's Corp shares briefly doubled in value to a ten-month high of $21.23 on July 22, making it one of the most traded stocks on retail platforms. The chain became the latest 'meme stock,' as the surge in trading was driven by online discussions on platforms like Reddit's WallStreetBets. Reuters reported that the volume of the Wisconsin-based company's stock caused a temporary halt in trading. The share price closed at approximately $14.34 per share, representing a 38% increase for the day. The recent trading frenzy resembles the 2021 "meme stock" rally, marked by surges in stocks like GameStop and AMC Entertainment. Contributing factors included COVID-19 lockdowns, which increased savings, government stimulus checks and low interest rates that drove more investors into the stock market. Here's what you need to know about the Kohl's 'meme stock' rally: What are meme stocks? A meme stock is a nickname for a company whose shares get a boost when retail traders rally around it on platforms such as Reddit, and X to trigger a short squeeze, according to Reuters. These companies are often facing losses, but meme stock traders love them for their cheap stock price. WallStreetBets on Reddit has gained popularity as a forum for discussing the stock market and sharing stock recommendations. Often, those companies have a large amount of shares being shorted, which can lead to price increases and force hedge funds and other firms betting against these companies to take a sizable financial loss. How much trading took place in Kohl's shares? The average trading volume for Kohl's is roughly 8.7 million shares a day. However, on July 22, traders were moving as high as 190 million shares of stock. Kohl's stock continues wild ride: CNBC's Cramer says 'something good' could come at company What do experts say about meme stock trading? David Swartz, analyst with Morningstar who monitors Kohl's, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY network, that Kohl's share price has been steadily increasing in recent months. 'It's been building for a while,' Swartz said. 'It has been building from its lows, and people started promoting it online.' Swartz said the volume on July 22 was astronomically higher than usual. 'That will typically happen when there's a big move,' Swartz said. Those who bet against the stock likely lost money or had to buy more stock to cover their losses, he added. Even with the stock's performance increasing in recent weeks, Swartz said he doesn't expect the trading frenzy to last. Macy's and Bed, Bath & Beyond are examples of companies that have been caught up in the 'meme stock' rally, but neither company's future financial situation has changed. Contributing: Ricardo Torres, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kohl's shares quickly rose in a 'meme-stock' rally. What to know. Sign in to access your portfolio
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Kohl's shares quickly rose in a 'meme-stock' rally. What to know.
Kohl's Corp shares briefly doubled in value to a ten-month high of $21.23 on July 22, making it one of the most traded stocks on retail platforms. The chain became the latest 'meme stock,' as the surge in trading was driven by online discussions on platforms like Reddit's WallStreetBets. Reuters reported that the volume of the Wisconsin-based company's stock caused a temporary halt in trading. The share price closed at approximately $14.34 per share, representing a 38% increase for the day. The recent trading frenzy resembles the 2021 "meme stock" rally, marked by surges in stocks like GameStop and AMC Entertainment. Contributing factors included COVID-19 lockdowns, which increased savings, government stimulus checks and low interest rates that drove more investors into the stock market. Here's what you need to know about the Kohl's 'meme stock' rally: What are meme stocks? A meme stock is a nickname for a company whose shares get a boost when retail traders rally around it on platforms such as Reddit, and X to trigger a short squeeze, according to Reuters. These companies are often facing losses, but meme stock traders love them for their cheap stock price. WallStreetBets on Reddit has gained popularity as a forum for discussing the stock market and sharing stock recommendations. Often, those companies have a large amount of shares being shorted, which can lead to price increases and force hedge funds and other firms betting against these companies to take a sizable financial loss. How much trading took place in Kohl's shares? The average trading volume for Kohl's is roughly 8.7 million shares a day. However, on July 22, traders were moving as high as 190 million shares of stock. Kohl's stock continues wild ride: CNBC's Cramer says 'something good' could come at company What do experts say about meme stock trading? David Swartz, analyst with Morningstar who monitors Kohl's, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY network, that Kohl's share price has been steadily increasing in recent months. 'It's been building for a while,' Swartz said. 'It has been building from its lows, and people started promoting it online.' Swartz said the volume on July 22 was astronomically higher than usual. 'That will typically happen when there's a big move,' Swartz said. Those who bet against the stock likely lost money or had to buy more stock to cover their losses, he added. Even with the stock's performance increasing in recent weeks, Swartz said he doesn't expect the trading frenzy to last. Macy's and Bed, Bath & Beyond are examples of companies that have been caught up in the 'meme stock' rally, but neither company's future financial situation has changed. Contributing: Ricardo Torres, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Reuters
