Packers releasing two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander after contract dispute
The Green Bay Packers are releasing two-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander, according to reports Monday morning.
The 28-year-old has played a combined 14 games across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, as he has struggled with injuries.
Jaire Alexander has spent all seven of his NFL seasons with the Packers.
AP
Alexander signed a four-year, $22 million contract extension in 2022. He and Green Bay explored trade options this offseason before he was then asked to restructure his contract and take a pay cut ahead of the upcoming season.
Alexander seemingly did not want to restructure his deal, and now came the decision to cut ties.
Jaire Alexander was selected with the 18th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Getty Images
Before his injuries, Alexander had been one of the league's premier defensive backs since he joined the Packers as a first-round pick in 2018.
In 2020, he reached his first Pro Bowl and received his first second-team All-Pro nod. He earned the same honors in 2022 after an injury-plagued 2021 season.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
Cowboys should pounce as soon as 2x Pro Bowler owed $36 million hits open market
Cowboys should pounce as soon as 2x Pro Bowler owed $36 million hits open market The Dallas Cowboys were saving money for a situation such as this. As it stands currently, the Cowboys have over $32 million in available cap space for 2025 according to Over the Cap. That's the seventh-highest amount in the league and while a ton of that is earmarked for the several pending long-term deals the team has to negotiate, they should not feel the need to hoard that space. Rather, they should also consider spending some of it on a short-term investment and that appears ready to fall onto their radar. The Green Bay Packers have announced they are going to release cornerback Jaire Alexander, a common move when a club is looking to drum up trade activity before finally waving the white flag on contract negotiations. The Packers have been trying to get Alexander to accept a lower amount after signing him to an extension entering 2022. He's oft-injured, appearing in just 14 games the last two seasons, and was given the four-year $84 million extension after an injury-plagued 2021 season. He has two years and $36 million remaining on the deal; $1.3 million in game-day bonuses, $700 in a 2026 roster bonus and $16.15 million and $18.15 million in base salary each of the next two years. There will likely be some level of interest from multiple teams, and Dallas should be one of them. Yes, the Cowboys are in the middle of paying their own oft-injured All-Pro corner a huge sum of money in Trevon Diggs. Yes the Cowboys need to extend a new contract to All-Pro DaRon Bland as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Yes the Cowboys drafted Shavon Revel in the third round with eyes on him being a future starter. Yes the Cowboys traded for Kaiir Elam to play out the final year of his first-round rookie deal. It doesn't matter; there's never a such thing as having too many good corners. Make no mistake, Alexander is still a very good NFL corner. He had one truly elite year, 2020, but every other year on his resume his grades have been very good, including when Pro Football Focus gave him 75.9 and 75.2 overall grades each of his last two truncated seasons. Adding Alexander to the mix would allow the Cowboys to start the season from a position of strength at cornerback instead of just working to get by. Alexander and Elam could man the boundary corners with Bland at the slot, while the team awaits the return from injury of Diggs and Revel, who is still recovering from an ACL injury that stole most of his final season at East Carolina. Neither of the two would need to be rushed back, and Revel could spend the season being brought along slowly instead of being thrust into an immediate contributor unless he warranted such. Elam could rotate to backup, which he was with Buffalo, when either Diggs or Revel were ready to shine. As for compensation, Dallas should bite the bullet. If Alexander wants a prove-it deal that would allow him to hit free agency in March when all 32 teams are flush with cash, Dallas is a team that could withstand the hit from a one-year contract, or add void years to spread the cap hit over two seasons. If he demands a multi-year deal, they can creatively build provisions that gives the bulk of money up front while allowing them enough room to make a long-term decision on Diggs' contract after the season while still allocating money for Bland's extension. Many think the Cowboys aren't ready to compete for a championship this year, but if they had a stacked secondary along with the stacked pass rush rotation they've built, along with two certifiable stud WRs in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, why would they not be seen as among the best teams in the NFL?
Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
NY Giants' Interest May Have Cooled on All-Pro Jaire Alexander
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NFL Minicamp approaches. The discussions surrounding the New York Giants haven't changed much from what they were when the most recent NFL season ended. How does this team keep up with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders? How do they stay out of the NFC East's cellar? Big Blue did what every pro football team needs to do to give itself a shot at being routinely competitive. They began a search for a better starting quarterback. The Daniel Jones experiment is over. New York added Russell Wilson via free agency and Jaxson Dart during the NFL Draft. Now, there's more hope for the immediate and distant future, even if that hope seems minimal. Jaire Alexander, New York Giants news (Photo by) Jaire Alexander, New York Giants news (Photo by) Photo by/Newsweek/Getty Images Must read: New York Giants Shuffle the Deck in Their Scouting Department Talent on both sides of the ball was addressed during the selection meeting. Cam Skattebo and Marcus Mbow are on the roster now. So are Abdul Carter and Darius Alexander. More punch is needed on defense if New York intends to keep up with two of their rivals now. Still, despite the news of a two-time All-Pro recently becoming available, there are conflicting reports about whether he'd be a fit. Theories suggest the Giants would be wise to steer clear of Jaire Alexander Why wouldn't the Giants show interest in Jaire Alexander? He's a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time Second-Team All-Pro nod. Certainly, no one questions his ability when on the field. There's just one problem. He hasn't been on the field as much as an interested team would enjoy seeing. He has missed ten games or more during three of the past four seasons. Must read: Giants Offensive Line Still Expected To Struggle Despite Big Spending Perusing the respected news outlets reveals their is interest from the G-Men's media and faithful, but it isn't unanimous. Some of the respected voices for Giants coverage believe there's no reason to enter the sweepstakes, including Art Stapleton of "Jaire Alexander would have been an intriguing target for the Giants had he hit the market three months ago. With the Green Bay Packers waiting to release the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback until now, that's no longer the case." He continued: "And this is certainly not an argument against the talent of Alexander, who would instantly bring the best resume of any defensive back on the roster to Big Blue. Sometimes the timing of personnel decisions such as these - with the importance of looking in the mirror and being realistic about where the Giants are - can trump everything else." CBS Sports' Jared Dubin recently crafted his take on "Top landing spots for oft-injured star CB." The G-Men weren't mentioned in his theory. Must read: Abdul Carter Headlines a List of Giants Postseason Award Contenders The Giants have already invested heavily into Paulson Adebo to be their top cornerback. He signed a three-year, 54-million deal on March 13. Korie Black was drafted in April, albeit in Round 7. This team still wants to get the best out of Tae Banks and Cor'Dale Flott. Stapleton is correct in much of his theory. Green Bay was a playoff team last season. If they say no, how can the Giants say yes? If this was an opportunity that presented itself last offseason, acquiring Alexander would have been a no-brainer, but things have changed. This is certainly a hard pass.
Fox Sports
32 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
How to measure success for Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, other rookie QBs in 2025
Collectively, the latest crop of quarterbacks entering the NFL has drawn little enthusiasm. But that ultimately doesn't matter. Settling into their NFL homes, the QBs have an opportunity to write their own story in the league. All the rookie quarterbacks are starting from square one, though with differing expectations. Here is how a successful 2025 should be measured for each of the first eight quarterbacks taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. Cam Ward Team: Tennessee Titans Round 1, No. 1 overall 2025 goal: start 17 games (flashing star potential) As the top overall selection, Ward is expected to be a franchise-altering quarterback for the Titans. But it could take a few years for him to reach that level, even if he's a "hit." What Jayden Daniels (2024) and C.J. Stroud (2023) did the past two seasons are outliers. If Ward can show an ability to elevate in spurts what appears to be an average supporting cast, display composure in critical moments and limit turnovers, that should be viewed as a win for the Titans. And that should be the case even if Tennessee's record does not reflect a substantial improvement from the team's 3-14 finish in 2024. Jaxson Dart Team: New York Giants Round 1, No. 25 overall 2025 goal: learn by watching; ready to take QB1 reigns in 2026 If all goes according to schedule, Dart won't play meaningful snaps in 2025. Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback for the Giants, who also have Jameis Winston as a capable veteran backup. The best case scenario is that Dart takes in everything he can from them in a "redshirt" year so he's ready to start Day 1 in 2026 — while still being ready to play in 2025 if New York's quarterback plan falls apart. Tyler Shough Team: New Orleans Saints Round 2, No. 40 overall 2025 goal: hold on to starting job In the wake of Derek Carr's retirement, the Saints are saying that they have a quarterback competition between Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. They're splitting first-team reps. But the reality is that Shough should win the job, given the draft investment in him as a second-round pick. So it's paramount that he doesn't give them a reason to think twice about his readiness. Decision-making and ball security will be key for the former Louisville quarterback, like with all rookie passers. Jalen Milroe Team: Seattle Seahawks Round 3, No. 92 overall 2025 goal: win QB2 job; flash promise in specialty role With Sam Darnold being the unquestioned starter in Seattle, Milroe's first goal should be earning the top backup role over Drew Lock, who returned to the Seahawks this offseason on a two-year, $5 million deal. The team has talked about the possibility of playing Milroe a few snaps per game in packages that utilize his rushing ability. If he can bring value there and make steady progress as a passer, the former Alabama standout could be in the mix to start in 2026. Dillon Gabriel Team: Cleveland Browns Round 3, No. 94 overall 2025 goal: become a regular on the gameday roster In Cleveland's crowded quarterback room, which includes 40-year-old Joe Flacco and journeyman Kenny Pickett, Gabriel may have the most roster security as a third-round rookie. But as a Day 2 quarterback, he'll need to show poise and comfort in Kevin Stefanski's system. Even if he's not QB1, Gabriel could get an extensive look if the offense struggles, keeping him in the Browns' quarterback plans moving forward. Shedeur Sanders Team: Cleveland Browns Round 5, No. 144 overall 2025 goal: become a regular on the gameday roster A projected top pick early in the pre-draft process, Sanders' status as a Day 3 pick puts him at the bottom of the Browns' quarterback pecking order to start his career. But he's firmly in the QB1 competition and should stay on the 53-man roster as an early-round talent. Like Gabriel, Sanders earning his way into a regular role on the game-day roster — even as a backup — would cement his place in Cleveland for 2026. Kyle McCord Team: Philadelphia Eagles Round 6, No. 181 overall 2025 goal: win QB2 role While he certainly won't supplant Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts as the starter, McCord has an opportunity to fill the top backup quarterback role vacated by Pickett, who was traded to the Browns earlier in the offseason. The FBS leader in completions per game and passing yards in 2024, McCord has competition in Tanner McKee and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who've started a combined six NFL games. Will Howard Team: Pittsburgh Steelers Round 6, No. 185 overall 2025 goal: win QB2 job Now that Aaron Rodgers has signed with Pittsburgh, Howard will compete with Mason Rudolph for the primary backup role. A national champion at Ohio State last season, Howard will have to impress Pittsburgh's coaches to beat out Rudolph, who started 13 games for the Steelers between 2019-23 before playing for Tennessee last season. But there's a scenario in which Howard gets meaningful snaps as a rookie, based on Rodgers' age and Rudolph's low-end potential. Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
