Packers' latest offseason twist involving Jaire Alexander could reshape their plans for the 2025 season
The Green Bay Packers might not need to release cornerback Jaire Alexander. A trade is shaping up as a better outcome. On Wednesday, NFL Network's insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Packers have had trade conversations centered around the two-time All-Pro cornerback and are open to moving him. At this point, it seems like a […]
The Green Bay Packers might not need to release cornerback Jaire Alexander. A trade is shaping up as a better outcome. On Wednesday, NFL Network's insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Packers have had trade conversations centered around the two-time All-Pro cornerback and are open to moving him.
At this point, it seems like a given that the Packers will eventually move on from Alexander. At the Combine, general manager Brian Gutekunst admitted that the team is frustrated with the lack of availability over the last few years—which team members had also done privately.
"He's been here a long time, he's been an elite player for a number of years. I think the past few years have been very frustrating for him and certainly for us too, just because you want players like that on the field consistently," Gutekunst said. "And when you can't be because of injuries, that's a tough thing on a player. I know he's doing everything he can to be out there, but the last few years haven't been where we wanted it to be only because of injury. But obviously, very, very talented player."
Jaire has two years left on his deal. He's slated to make $17.5 million in 2025 and $19.5 million in 2026, but none of it is guaranteed. At the same time that a trade would give them extra draft capital, it would also highlight the need at the cornerback position.
Trade scenario
In terms of cap implications, it doesn't change much compared to a release. The numbers before and after June 1st are the same, with the exception that a team can't apply a post-June 1st designation in a trade. Therefore, the post-June 1st numbers would only apply if the trade is actually executed later, which would also postpone the compensation—it wouldn't be possible to include 2025 draft picks, for example.
The likeliest scenario is that the Packers move on from Alexander close to the new league year, taking the entire dead money hit in 2025, but getting immediate draft compensation in return.
In this case, the Packers would have $18.1 million in dead money—because of signing and restructure bonuses already paid that haven't hit the cap yet. It would also mean $6.838 million of cap savings in 2025, but also $27.376 million in 2026 and $2.364 million in 2027.
Besides the compensation, the best factor of this option is that the Packers would decide Alexander's destination. It would avoid a scenario of the defender going to an NFC North rival, for instance, something that has been frequent for players cut by Green Bay.
No deadline
The Packers don't have a trigger date on Jaire Alexander's contract. So while the team could want to make a decision as soon as possible, there isn't any type of roster bonus forcing the Packers to trade or release Alexander in March.
That means Green Bay can simply keep the former All-Pro player on the roster entering the new league year and through Week 1 in September, waiting to see if there's a team willing to acquire the defensive back.
However, Jaire is generating a $24.956 million cap hit in 2025.
Packers’ options for Jaire Alexander take shape as talk of going separate ways swirls
Cornerback’s tenure in Green Bay might be coming to an end
