Getty Head Coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers looks on during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers will consider cutting ties with Jaire Alexander this offseason, either via a trade or simply by cutting the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday, December 30, that the Packers will take a hard look at Alexander’s future with the team in March when he is due a significant roster bonus entering the second season of his four-year, $84 million extension — currently the richest cornerback contract in the NFL.
“[Alexander’s] $8 million bonus now is expected to become the trigger point that likely will lead the Packers into a decision on whether to they want to keep Alexander or move on from him,” Schefter wrote. “Should they keep him, the Packers simply would pick up the option bonus, but Green Bay also could explore a trade.”
Pattern of Poor Behavior From Jaire Alexander Could Lead to His Departure From Green Bay
GettyCornerback Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers reacts after making a play during an NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings in January 2023.
Green Bay suspended Alexander for the Packers’ must-win road game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday due to pre-game shenanigans last week against the Carolina Panthers.
The cornerback named himself a captain without the team’s consent, then almost cost Green Bay possession to start the second half by choosing to kick after winning the coin toss, rather than defer.
Alexander’s gaffe was just the latest issue in a long line of questionable behavior that has put his future with the team in jeopardy, despite being only 26 years old and a former first-round pick who plays a premium position at a high level.
The cornerback also sat out several games after suffering an injury on November 5. In and of itself, those events aren’t uncommon throughout the NFL. What was strange, however, is that Alexander returned to practice less than two weeks later but continued to sit out and never went on injured reserve.
Those developments have led to media and fan speculation that Alexander may have been holding himself out on purpose despite being healthy enough to play, perhaps as some sort of protest and/or show of defiance due to a struggling defense led by beleaguered coordinator Joe Barry.
Schefter also noted offseason behaviors earlier in 2023 that he reported may have rubbed the organization the wrong way.
“There are other factors at stake for the Packers, who prefer that their players participate in their offseason program in Green Bay, which Alexander hasn’t done,” Schefter wrote. “He surrendered a $700,000 workout bonus last spring to skip the Packers’ offseason program and work out in Florida instead.”
Packers Could Diminish Jaire Alexander’s Trade Value With Further Punishment, Pressure
GettyCornerback Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers.
Alexander earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and 2022, entering the 2023 campaign as a consensus top-10 cornerback in the league. However, he has been mediocre when he has played this season, which hasn’t been often due to injury.
The cornerback has appeared in just six of 15 contests this season and engaged unapologetically in pre-game antics against the Panthers last week in his first game back after nearly two months on the sideline.
Whether Alexander was truly injured enough not to play at all during that span remains in question, but his health issues prior to this year certainly are not. He also missed 13 of 17 contests in 2021 with injury, which doesn’t bode well for his durability moving forward.
Based on the nature of the information in Schefter’s report, it is safe to assume that it didn’t come from Alexander’s camp. As such, it must have come from the team, which indicates the Packers may be trying to put pressure on the cornerback to change his behavior — sending him a message that it is time to shape up lest the organization ship him out.
If that is Green Bay’s objective, the team needs to be careful not to diminish Alexander’s character to the point that it undercuts his trade value should the Packers ultimately decide to move him. Alexander’s injury issues and expensive contract already make him less attractive as a trade chip. However, his on-field success and age at a premium position render the cornerback incredibly valuable.
If the Packers do trade Alexander this spring, they are likely to hold out for a first-round pick in return and would be certain to achieve second-round value in any deal.