What’s Going on with Jaire Alexander and the Packers?
One of the last looming questions for the Packers this offseason is what the future holds for star cornerback Jaire Alexander. The team has three main options: bring him back, trade him, or release him and allow him to sign with another team. When healthy, Alexander is undoubtedly one of the top cornerbacks in the league, and his presence on the field makes a noticeable difference. That’s why so many fans, coaches, and teammates are hoping he stays, because players with his level of talent and impact are hard to replace.
Jaire Alexander isn’t just a fan favorite because of his elite play. He also brings a positive energy to the locker room that even shows through in interviews, making it easy to see why so many people like him. It makes you wonder why someone like that would be in a situation where his future with the team is uncertain. The reality is that his availability has been inconsistent over the past few seasons, which makes his contract feel like a lot for what he’s actually been able to contribute. If he does return to Green Bay, the team would likely need to restructure his deal by turning much of his base salary into performance-based incentives, like games played.
The recent draft only strengthened the belief that the Packers should keep Jaire Alexander on the roster. Cornerback was clearly a position of need, and while the signing of Nate Hobbs was a helpful move, one player alone isn’t enough to solve the depth issue. Many fans expected the team to address the position earlier in the draft, but instead, they waited until the seventh round to select a cornerback. Since no one reasonably expects a seventh-round pick to be an immediate solution, it raises an important question about where that leaves Alexander.
At the moment, Jaire Alexander is not taking part in the team’s in-person workouts. He did, however, participate in last week’s virtual sessions, which shows he’s still somewhat engaged. According to Josina Anderson, both Alexander and the Packers have agreed to sort out his roster and contract situation before he joins the team for the full offseason program. Unfortunately, those negotiations are still ongoing, and no one seems to have a clear idea of how or when they’ll be resolved. While insiders believe a return to Green Bay is still possible, there’s a lot of uncertainty about which way things will ultimately go.
