The Green Bay Packers aren’t new to offseason turmoil. However, rather than featuring a group of older women, it frequently focused on franchise quarterbacks. However, the team is dealing with a different type of drama this year.
Jaire Alexander’s prospects in Green Bay.
Alexander has missed 34 of Green Bay’s past 68 games. He tore his PCL in Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and missed the next game against the Detroit Lions. Alexander returned in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears, but only played 10 snaps before aggravating his injury. Following the season, claims circulated that Green Bay and Alexander were irritated by his inability to stay healthy.
As the players cleared out their lockers at the end of the season, Alexander was asked if he wanted to speak to the media. He rejected, stating that he had nothing positive to say and was unsure whether he would return next year.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported in February that the Packers were willing to consider trades for their two-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl cornerback. Alexander has a $24.9 million cap hit in 2025. If Green Bay trades or releases him, it will free up $6.8 million in cap space.
A post-June 1 designation remains an option, resulting in $17 million in more room for 2025.
However, the relief would not take effect until June, leaving the Packers with $10.2 million in dead money to account for by 2026.
Moving on from Alexander seems natural. The Packers will face some difficult decisions next year regarding their pending free agents, and it is difficult to justify dedicating a major chunk of their contract money to a player who has battled to stay on the field.
“We have some time here to kind of figure that out and see what’s best for him and the organization,” Brian Gutekusnt said of Alexander during the annual owners meeting.
A reporter immediately questioned Gutekunst if Alexander could remain in Green Bay.
“It could be a possibility,” Gutekunst remarked. “Absolutely.”
This is smokescreen season, and Gutekunst wants to keep any advantage he has if a team calls for Alexander. The Packers added Nate Hobbs in free agency, and Keisean Nixon’s statements about wanting to be CB1 give us even more cause to assume Alexander’s time in Green Bay is coming to an end.
Green Bay’s decision to move on from Alexander makes sense in the short and long term. If he stayed, the Packers would most likely want a pay cut, but why would Alexander even contemplate it?
Gutekunst was right to not dismiss Alexander at the start of the new league season.
If a team in desperate need of CB help panics and offers an early Day 3 selection for Alexander, Gutekunst should accept without hesitation.
I’d be surprised if Alexander was still on Green Bay’s roster come the start of the 2025 season, but stranger things have happened in this league. The most likely conclusion is that the Packers release him this month. A new beginning is the finest conclusion for everyone. Alexander could join a contender in the AFC, giving the Packers much-needed future cap flexibility.
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