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Cornerback Jaire Alexander arrived in Baltimore last summer as a heralded addition to a well-regarded Ravens secondary. He was traded away in November after appearing in just two games for a disappointing defense.

In an Instagram post Wednesday night, Alexander acknowledged he had “internal battles with myself” as he grappled with confidence issues. The two-time Pro Bowl selection underwent arthroscopic knee surgery late in the 2024 season, his last year with the Green Bay Packers, and missed about a month of preseason practice in Baltimore to manage his knee.

“As much as I loved Baltimore, I didn’t love the position I was in,” Alexander wrote. “At corner you need ultimate confidence in your abilities and I felt it slipping away. It was at this moment I contemplated if I was making the right decision for my career.”

Alexander, 29, allowed five catches on five targets for 116 yards in his two games with the Ravens, according to Pro Football Focus, a late-game collapse against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 and a blowout loss to the Houston Texans in Week 5.

On Nov. 1, the Ravens traded Alexander — a popular teammate and close friend of former Louisville teammate Lamar Jackson — along with a 2027 seventh-round pick to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. But Alexander never appeared in a game for the Eagles. Just 10 days after the trade, he stepped away from football, reportedly to focus on getting right physically and mentally.

Alexander, whose one-year deal with the Ravens was worth up to $6 million, said on Instagram that he “felt as if I let the organization down. My family and friends would drive up to see me and I wasn’t even playing in the games. I never questioned God but why me. ... Football is a true gladiator sport, and once the confidence has gone it’s time to hang it up.”

Alexander shared his gratitude for the Ravens’ fans, general manager Eric DeCosta and “the unlimited therapy sessions I had to encounter to help me with my time there.”

“I am so grateful for the experience,” he said.