GREEN BAY, Wis. — Two straight injury-filled seasons in the end spelled the tip for cornerback Jaire Alexander with the Packers, even when it took some time to succeed in that time.
The Packers knowledgeable Alexander on Monday that he could be launched, a supply informed ESPN, ending an offseason saga by which the 2 sides tried to discover a center floor.
It got here at some point earlier than Alexander had deliberate to report for the group’s necessary minicamp after skipping all the in-person, voluntary exercises this offseason.
Alexander appeared in simply seven regular-season video games every of the previous two seasons and didn’t play after Nov. 17 final 12 months — regardless of training on a semi-regular foundation. He went on injured reserve the ultimate week of the season and had knee surgical procedure on what he mentioned was a torn PCL. Nonetheless, he completed second on the group in go breakups (seven) and tied for second in interceptions (two).
That got here a 12 months after shoulder and knee accidents plus a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the group restricted him to seven video games.
The 2018 first-round decide had two years remaining on the four-year, $84 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback within the NFL on the time. The Packers will decide up greater than $17 million in salary-cap house for this season.
Alexander, an All-Professional in 2020 and 2022, performed in simply 34 of a potential 68 video games because the begin of the 2021 season — a 12 months by which he appeared in solely 4 regular-season video games due to a shoulder harm.
Shortly after the 2024 season ended, sources privately expressed that the group not wished to play the weekly sport of whether or not Alexander could be wholesome sufficient to play or could be keen to play at lower than 100%.
“I do know it has been actually, actually irritating for not solely him as a participant, however us as a membership,” Packers basic supervisor Brian Gutekunst mentioned shortly after final season. “When you could have a participant who’s accomplished what he is accomplished for us previously, after which not having the ability to get him out on the sector constantly, that is robust. You already know it is robust on the participant, robust on the group.”
Shortly after these feedback, Gutekunst mentioned he could be open to buying and selling Alexander.
“We invested quite a bit in Jaire and wish to be certain that, if he is not going to be on our soccer group serving to us win video games, that we get one thing again for that funding,” Gutekunst mentioned in late March. “So we’ll see the place it goes, however once more, working with him weekly and attempting to determine what’s greatest for each Jaire and the Packers.”
After the draft got here and went with out a commerce, the Packers thought of conserving Alexander, however provided that he could be keen to transform his contract. The Packers went as far as to supply Alexander a revised deal in latest days, a supply informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, however the two sides couldn’t attain an settlement.
Alexander was scheduled to make $17.5 million this season, however none of that was assured.
He appeared to know the tip was coming instantly after the season, when on locker cleanout day he declined to talk with reporters, saying he had “nothing good to say” and that he didn’t know if he could be again in 2025.
In seven seasons, together with playoffs, Alexander recorded 15 interceptions.