Jaire Alexander signed a contract that made him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback in 2022, after an impressive start to his career that saw him earn second-team All-Pro honors twice. Alexander has two more years on that deal, but the Packers have a potential out that they may very well look to take advantage of this offseason, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky.
Alexander has missed more than half of the season in three of the last four campaigns, and was limited to seven games in each of the last two years. According to Demovsky, those within the organization have grown frustrated "with Alexander's inability to stay healthy and/or play through injuries."
By releasing Alexander, Green bay can save $6.8 million in salary cap space this offseason. While it would create a significant hole at cornerback, the relationship between player and team appears to be strained. General manager Brian Gutekunst opened up about those injury frustrations in a January media conference, acknowledging that they're likely shared by Alexander.
“I think we’ll work through that,” he said. “Sure, we can [pay him]. I know it’s been really, really frustrating for not only him as a player but us as a club. When you have a player who’s done what he’s done for us in the past, and then not being able to get him out on the field consistently, that’s tough. It’s tough on the player, tough on the organization.
“We’re at the beginning stages of gathering information before we start looking at next year and how we’re going to lay this thing out. But we could [pay him]. Obviously, when he’s healthy and he’s ready to play, he’s a pretty good player.”
Demovsky notes that Alexander declined to speak to the media at the end of the season, stating that he had "nothing good to say."
Alexander's last appearance for Green Bay came in its Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears, in which he played 10 snaps before leaving the game. He finished the season with a pair of interceptions and seven pass breakups.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Two Reasons Why Packers Might Move on From Star CB Jaire Alexander.
