Think about a player that has been on the field for 20.30% of the defensive snaps in 2021, 87.22% in 2022, 40.14% in 2023, 33.15% in 2024. He missed 34 of the last 68 games over the past four years, and moving on from him could save you $37 million over the next two seasons. It should be a no-brainer, right? Well, it’s not so easy for the Green Bay Packers in regards to Jaire Alexander.
Even though Jaire has handled many injuries, the All-Pro cornerback can still play at a high level when he’s available, making the decision much more complex.
This offseason, the Packers are open to trading Alexander, but they don’t seem willing to release him for nothing. The reasons are the ones we would expect.
“Yeah, Ja is a great player,” head coach Matt LaFleur said during an ‘Up and Adams’ appearance this week. “Unfortunately, he’s been kind of snake-bit the last couple of years, and he’s missed a lot of time. So it’s hard to play up to your potential when you’re not on the grass.”
How to solve it
The Packers have had a tough time finding a trade partner because, just like themselves, no other team is open to paying $17.5 million for Jaire based on the risk he brings with the injury history. That’s why Green Bay is trying to create an internal solution, which would probably involve a contract adjustment.
“That’s just something that we are working through,” LaFleur added. “Hopefully we’ll have some resolution sooner than later.”
Jaire Alexander has no guarantees left on the extension he signed three years ago. Because of that, the Packers could release him without the obligation to pay anything from his $17.5 million salary in 2025. The team would still have to handle $7.518 million in dead money in 2025 and $9.525 million in 2026, projecting a post-June 1 release, but would save $17.117 million this year, $17.493 million next year, and $2.005 million in 2027 by moving on.
At the same time, if Jaire is willing to take a paycut, keeping him could make sense. The adjustment would probably include some type of reduction of his base salary, adding incentives based on playing time that would both give the player a chance to earn the money back and the Packers a salary cap relief this season. All options would be on the table again next offseason.
Jaire Alexander, Brian Gutekunst’s first pick as a general manager, is still a key part of the defensive back room. Without him, the top three cornerbacks on the roster are Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine—and the depth beyond them is concerning to say the least. But with the cap projection for 2026 and Alexander’s injury history, Green Bay needs protection—and this is where the dilemma comes from.