After months of uncertainty, the Green Bay Packers are officially parting ways with star cornerback Jaire Alexander. Despite brief signs of reconciliation, the two sides could not come to a contract agreement, and the Packers are releasing Alexander, freeing up over $17 million in cap space this upcoming season.
Alexander, once a cornerstone of the Packers’ defense, had become a question mark both on and off the field. Since signing a lucrative extension in 2022, injuries have limited him to just seven games in each of the last two seasons. Frustrations reportedly grew inside the building as coaches and staff grew tired of the weekly guessing game regarding his availability. An incident during a game in his hometown of Charlotte — which led to a suspension — only deepened concerns about his status within the team’s culture.
The Packers attempted to rework Alexander’s contract into an incentive-heavy structure, but negotiations failed. According to reports, Alexander remained confident he could earn more on the open market than what Green Bay was offering. Trade talks with teams like the Buffalo Bills fell apart when he refused to restructure his deal to facilitate a trade.
While the release provides significant financial relief — $17 million this year and $19.5 million in 2025 — it creates a major void in the secondary. Green Bay did not address the cornerback position until the seventh round of the draft and now enters the 2025 season relying on a young and largely unproven cornerback group. Nate Hobbs, signed from Las Vegas, figures to start alongside Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine, with Javon Bullard in line for a bigger role at slot corner.
Despite the uncertainty, there is watchful optimism inside the building. Nixon and Valentine showed promise late last season, and Hobbs could benefit from a more stable environment. Still, without Alexander’s elite upside and proven field play, the Packers are taking a leap of faith at one of the league’s most crucial positions.
The roster, currently constructed, is now built on youth and upside rather than star power at cornerback, the Packers’ gamble could either fuel a breakout or expose a fatal flaw in their 2025 Super Bowl hopes. The next few months will determine which.