The writing was on the wall in the Packers locker room the day after the Packers playoff loss. Jaire Alexander did not speak to the media during the Packers locker clean out. However, Alexander did say this to the media, “I don’t even know if I’ll be here next year”. That was the first official sign of a pending break up between Green Bay and their Pro Bowl cornerback. The second official sign broke yesterday. It was reported that the Packers have engaged in trade talks centered around Jaire Alexander.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted that the Packers have had trade conversations and appear to be open to moving Alexander for the right price. If you are like me, a big time Jaire Alexander fan, the hope of seeing Jaire Alexander take the field in a Packer uniform is dwindling. Unlike the Aaron Jones situation last offseason, the Packers stance is pretty clear. Green Bay intends to move on from Alexander.
It was reported earlier this offseason in an ESPN article, written by Rob Demovsky, that “multiple team sources have privately expressed their frustration with Alexander’s inability to stay healthy and/or play through injuries.” This news is not all that surprising given the fact that during LaFleur’s daily press conferences, he was always noncommittal of Jaire’s status. It was noticeable that LaFleur was irritated with Alexander’s situation. Previously, Brian Gutekunst expressed that both the Packers and Jaire Alexander are frustrated with his questionable healthy. Alexander is an extreme competitor so his frustration does not come as a surprise.
Why Moving on From Jaire Alexander Makes Sense
The Packers are scheduled to have $18.1 million in dead money because of Jaire Alexander’s contract. If the Packers do move on from him, the team can create $6.838 million in cap space in 2025 and a whopping $27.376 million in 2026. In 2022, the Packers made Alexander the highest paid CB in the league. Over the past four seasons, Jaire Alexander has only played in 34 of the possible 68 games. He has played in just 7 games in each of the last two seasons.
With the amount of money that the Packers are paying Alexander, his lack of availability makes the payment unjustifiable. There are a few solid reasons to move on starting with the Packers defense seemingly has found a way to play well without Alexander. Keisean Nixon has emerged as a solid starting corner. Meanwhile, Carrington Valentine has shown the ability to play at a high level but it needs to happen at more consistent rate. Finally, the upcoming free agent class is filled with veteran cornerback options that can upgrade the Packers cornerback room.
It is unclear what the Packers could receive in return in a trade for Alexander. Due to his hefty contract, it is likely to be a 5th/6th round pick. If the Packers are able to get a 4th round pick, that would be a solid return. Like the Rodgers situation, Gutekunst will make sure to get his moneys worth especially because there is no time limit. However, the Packers will mostly likely want to be fair to Alexander, out of respect, and allow him to explore free agency if the team cannot find a trade. Time will tell what will happen but at the current moment, it appears Jaire Alexander’s time in Green Bay is coming to an end.
