The Green Bay Packers seem prepared to part ways with cornerback Jaire Alexander. Due to injury issues and financial considerations, it’s doubtful Alexander will remain with the team in 2025, as the Packers are open to trading him. However, general manager Brian Gutekunst has not completely dismissed the possibility of his return next season.
On Wednesday, Packers safety Xavier McKinney offered fans a glimmer of hope by sharing videos on social media of him and Jaire training together. While this doesn’t guarantee Alexander’s future with the team, it does suggest that he’s still well-regarded within the locker room, which is an aspect of the evaluation process.
The Packers are not compelled to make any decisions on Alexander’s contract before Week 1, as there are no roster bonuses or trigger dates before then. This allows the team to take a wait-and-see approach. Gutekunst is seeking draft picks in exchange for Alexander. If a trade doesn’t happen, any potential new team will have less time to integrate Alexander, especially if it involves an NFC North competitor.
“We’ve put significant resources into Jaire and want to ensure, if he’s not contributing to our team, that we receive value in return,” Gutekunst stated at the NFL League Meetings. “We’re continuing discussions with (agent John Thornton) to determine the best outcome for both Jaire and the Packers.” As of now, the Packers have not proposed a salary reduction to Alexander, and according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, he wouldn’t accept one.
This poses a significant challenge for Green Bay, as maintaining Jaire’s current $17.5 million salary is difficult. Interestingly, Alexander has a $700k bonus tied to participating in the team’s offseason program, so if a trade doesn’t occur soon, he might be seen at Packers practices in the near future.