The fallout from the Green Bay Packers Wild Card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles continues.
Despite the offense suffering multiple key injuries, fans are now debating if Jordan Love is worthy of the franchise quarterback label after a three-interception performance. Following the game, cornerback Keisean Nixon publicly announced his refusal to return kicks, and Josh Jacobs went into recruitment mode. After returning to Green Bay, tight end Tucker Kraft told the media the team needed to wake up, and he could see the loss coming. Yet, none of those compare to the potential domino effect caused by two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander’s comments before leaving for the offseason.
When asked to speak with the media, Alexander declined, saying, “he doesn’t even know if he is going to be here next year,” according to NBC 26 reporter Kelly Hallinan.
Alexander later added, “he didn’t have anything good to say, so he definitely wasn’t going to talk [with the media.]”
The cornerback’s frustrations may stem from how the Packers’ handled his recovery, which Green Bay Packer’s general manager Brian Gutekunst addressed on Thursday.
Packers Address Alexander’s Comments
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In his season-finale press conference with the media, Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst insisted there is no disconnect between the team and cornerback Jaire Alexander.
However, Gutekunst did admit, “There’s frustration from both sides that he can’t get out there.”
Alexander has played just 34 of 68 possible games in the last four seasons. In three of those years, Alexander will have played seven games or less.
In 2024, Alexander suffered a torn PCL on the final play of the Week 8 win vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. After missing the following week against Detroit, Alexander tried to play in Chicago. He lasted ten snaps before re-aggravating the injury.
The Pro Bowl cornerback tried to come back multiple times in the subsequent weeks. He was a full participant before Week 15 vs. the Seahawks, yet was not activated due to head coach Matt LaFleur not liking the speed Alexander was playing. Eventually, LaFleur announced the team was shutting down Alexander for the remainder of the season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Although Alexander expects to be 100 percent healed by Training Camp, Gutekunst hints the cornerback’s time in Green Bay is coming to an end.
End of An Era
Jaire Alexander has two years remaining on his contract worth $37 million, with no guarantees. There are also no early offseason bonuses, setting up an easy out for Green Bay.
When asked about Alexander’s future, Gutekunst replied, calling his contract is not prohibitive on a return, but added: “We’ll work through that.”
On the surface, the response seems meaningless. However, Gutekunst’s words are in stark contrast to the team’s other impending free agents.
Speaking about center Josh Myers, Gutekunst said he wants the 26-year-old back in 2025. He even told the media that re-signing kicker Brandon McManus “Would make me feel very good about that group.”
Before wrapping up the presser, Gutekunst shared his headspace going into the offseason.
“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency. These opportunities don’t come [very often]. The life of a player in the NFL is not very long. We got a bunch of good and talented guys in that locker room. I think it’s time we start competing for championships.”
Trying to decipher Gutekunst’s words, one has to wonder if that sense of urgency includes releasing Alexander.
If the Packers choose to release Alexander before June 1st, they would take on a $18.1 million dead cap hit but free up $6.8 million of cap space. Cutting Alexander with a post-June 1st designation would free up $17 million and only force Green Bay to take a $7.8 million dead cap hit.
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