So far, this season has been a resounding success for the Green Bay Packers. Having clinched a playoff berth after a dominating win over the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, Green Bay now looks to make some noise com January.
One player who hasn’t been part of the recent success on the field, though, is cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Alexander has been coming back from an injury and has missed the past seven games for the Packers (if we are to count the mere 10 snaps he played agains the Chicago Bears back in November).
The good news, this past week, has been the fact that Alexander was practicing in full. Fans probably expected him to play against the Saints in Week 16, but he didn’t. Now, this was likely just the team being overly cautious since it was a PCL sprain Alexander had been dealing with. But, still, there is a whole lot of cause for concern.
With the way this season has gone for Alexander, it’s truly been par for the course with his recent history.
The Packers may have to decide whether or not to part ways with Jaire Alexander in 2025
Alexander hasn’t just missed the last seven games for Green Bay. He’s missed 31 out of his last 66 games for the Packers due to injury. That’s a serious, stark reality check for this team.
When he’s on the field, Alexander is one of the best corners in the league. He’s a phenomenal player. We know this. However, being on the field is the tallest of tasks for the veteran corner in recent seasons.
Next year, he will have a cap hit of over $25 million as he enters the third year of a four-year, $84 million deal with the Packers. The intriguing part of next year’s money, though, is that the Packers could get out of the contract if they trade or cut him.
Should Green Bay opt to trade or cut Alexander, they could save over $7 million in the process.
Now, this would be an extremely difficult decision to make. Fans have grown to love Alexander because of his ability, sure, and the way he approaches the game is that of a true shutdown corner. His attitude and swagger are characteristics that make him who he is. To see Green Bay part with Alexander is not an easy idea for fans to swallow.
But, it might end up being a reality. This team cannot rely on him being on the field, and that’s a fact. Knowing they could try to find a new top cornerback who can stay healthy is certainly an attractive thought.
Will the Packers decide to test the trade market for him? Will they outright release him? It’s only a matter of weeks, maybe, before we find out the answer to those questions.
