Jaire Alexander’s future with the Green Bay Packers is very much in doubt.
It isn’t exactly a secret that the Packers are shopping the two-time Pro Bowl corner. But even though Alexander’s availability is generating calls from across the NFL, the Packers are no closer to dealing him — and may in fact keep Alexander for the 2025 season — according to Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel beat writer Tom Silverstein.
Plus, Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love has now weighed in, telling “Up and Adams” that Alexander is “my guy” and “we need him back.”
Silverstein reported that the Packers had a willing trade partner for Alexander, but the rival club balked due to Green Bay’s asking price and after Alexander was unwilling to renegotiate the $17.5 million real-money salary the 28-year-old is due to make in 2025.
Jaire Alexander Is Entering the 3rd Season of a 4-Year, $84 Million Contract
Alexander is set to enter the third year of a four-year, $84 million contract he signed with the Packers after the 2022 season. His contract is the fifth-richest among cornerbacks in the NFL right now, according to Over The Cap, and aside from his lofty salary, Alexander carries a $24.1 million cap hit.
All that is surely why the Packers intend to carry Alexander on their roster if they don’t consummate a trade. Green Bay will be stuck with $17 million in dead cap space if they cut him and will only save about $7 million in 2025.
Alexander has only played 14 games over the past two seasons and has just two interceptions in that span. A series of injuries has limited his ability to stay on the field, including a PCL strain that cost him Green Bay’s final nine regular-season game and its 22-10 season-ending playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round.
Alexander’s Injury History Has Caused Frustration for the Packers
Alexander’s long list of injuries have caused frustration within the Packers organization. General manager Brian Gutekunst stated his angst that Alexander “can’t get on the field consistently,” and undisclosed sources told Rob Demovsky of ESPN that they are tired of Alexander’s unwillingness to play through injuries.
“Multiple team sources have privately expressed their frustration with Alexander’s inability to stay healthy and/or play through injuries,” Demovsky reported in February.
Alexander is still an impact cornerback when he is healthy enough to play. The Packers went 6-1 in his seven games and only allowed 206.8 passing-yards against per game. Green Bay was just 5-5 without Alexander and allowed 12 passing touchdowns over its final eight games without him, including the playoffs.
But his inability to stay on the field led Green Bay to seek insurance in the form of cornerback Nate Hobbs. Green Bay signed Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million with $16 million in guaranteed money March 13.
But NBC’s Pro Football Talk analyzed the Hobbs contract and discovered it is structured as a one-year deal with three single-season options. The only guaranteed money the Packers are on the hook for is his signing bonus.
Hobbs can play nickel corner but also outside, and the length and structure of his deal makes him a true insurance policy for Alexander if Green Bay can’t trade him or if he once again gets injured in 2025.
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