Green Bay Packers to Release Cornerback Jaire Alexander, Source Confirms
In a move that has been widely anticipated, the Green Bay Packers have informed cornerback Jaire Alexander that he will be released, a source close to the team has confirmed to ESPN. The decision brings to an end an offseason-long saga that had been ongoing since the start of the year.
According to sources, the Packers had been trying to find a middle ground with Alexander, but ultimately, the two sides were unable to come to an agreement. The news comes just one day before Alexander was scheduled to report for the team’s mandatory minicamp, which he had previously skipped during the voluntary workouts this offseason.
The past two seasons have been marred by injuries for Alexander, who appeared in just seven regular-season games each year. Despite practicing on a semi-regular basis, he did not play after November 17 last year and underwent knee surgery on what he described as a torn PCL. However, Alexander still managed to finish second on the team in pass breakups with seven and tied for second in interceptions with two.
This was not the first time Alexander had struggled with injuries, having also been limited to seven games in the previous season due to shoulder and knee injuries, as well as a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. The 2018 first-round pick had two years remaining on his four-year, $84 million contract extension, which made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at the time.
The Packers will benefit from a significant increase in salary-cap space, with over $17 million set to be freed up for this season. Alexander, an All-Pro in 2020 and 2022, had played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 season. His absence on the field has been a significant concern for the team, with Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst expressing his frustration at a lack of consistency from the player.
“I know it’s been really, really frustrating for not only him as a player, but us as a club,” Gutekunst said, as reported by ESPN. “When you have a player who’s done what he’s done for us in the past, and then not being able to get him out on the field consistently, that’s tough. You know it’s tough on the player, tough on the organization.”
As reported by ESPN, Gutekunst also indicated that he would be open to trading Alexander, saying, “We invested a lot in Jaire and want to make sure, if he’s not gonna be on our football team helping us win games, that we get something back for that investment.” However, despite efforts to trade him, Alexander remained with the team until the decision was made to release him.
The source close to the team, as reported by ESPN, confirmed that the Packers had offered Alexander a revised deal in recent days, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement. Alexander was scheduled to make $17.5 million this season, but none of that was guaranteed.
In a statement that seemed to hint at the end of his time with the Packers, Alexander declined to speak with reporters on locker cleanout day, saying he had “nothing good to say” and that he did not know if he would be back in 2025. Over the course of his seven-season career, including playoffs, Alexander has recorded 15 interceptions.
The Green Bay Packers’ decision to release Jaire Alexander brings to an end a chapter in the team’s history, and it remains to be seen what the future holds for the talented but injury-prone cornerback. According to ESPN, Alexander’s release will undoubtedly have significant implications for the team’s roster and salary cap, as well as the wider NFL landscape.
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