Nothing is new in the Jaire Alexander’s front. The Green Bay Packers would like to trade him, but no other team is willing to absorb his entire contract—it’s $17.5 million in base salary for 2025. Meanwhile, Alexander hasn’t been willing to take a paycut.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer explained why it’s so difficult to execute a trade in this case, and why Alexander might be back in Green Bay after all.
“I could throw the San Francisco 49ers, Rams, Steelers and Chiefs out there as teams that entered the draft with needs at the position, and didn’t take corners in the first two rounds of the draft. The question, to me, comes down to money. He’s due $17.5 million this year. And, because of his recent injury history, that’s shown to be a bit rich for interested teams. Alexander, meanwhile, would rather be cut so he can pick his destination, and he might not be willing to help with a contract adjustment to facilitate a trade.
I would think, at this point, the most likely scenario is that he’s back on a reduced contract that has incentives. We’ll see.” — Albert Breer.
Usually, teams find a way to negotiate a trade package—or even to keep part of the salary to trade a player away— if there are guarantees left. In Alexander’s case, the final two years of his deal are essentially team options.
It doesn’t make sense for the Packers to absorb a part of his salary to make a trade, because that would unnecessarily add to the financial situation, which ultimately is the reason why the Packers are willing to move on from the cornerback.
For Jaire Alexander, taking a paycut to go to another team doesn’t make sense either. If that’s the case, it would be better for him to be cut by the Packers and become a free agent. In the open market, he would have the freedom to choose his next destination based on money, role, and winning potential.
And if Jaire accepts a paycut, the Packers might simply decide to keep him—and as Breer mentioned, and we had written about, adding incentives is a reasonable way for Alexander to get a part of his salary back.
Injuries have been a big problem for Alexander. He missed 34 of the last 68 games for the Packers, including 10 games last year. When he’s on the field, though, the cornerback still plays at a high level. In 2024, he allowed a 79.9 passer rating when targeted.