The Green Bay Packers have reportedly made cornerback Jaire Alexander available for a trade, putting one of the top corners in the NFL on the market. The San Francisco 49ers, who lost Charvarius Ward and others on the defense this season, could be an ideal fit for Alexander.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the 49ers are one of the teams to watch for Alexander. He added a few other contending squads that could be interested in him, potentially making things difficult for the 49ers to make a trade.
“Rob, I could throw the San Francisco 49ers, Rams, Steelers and Chiefs out there as teams that entered the draft with needs at the position, and didn’t take corners in the first two rounds of the draft,” Breer wrote.
“The question, to me, comes down to money. He’s due $17.5 million this year. And, because of his recent injury history, that’s shown to be a bit rich for interested teams. Alexander, meanwhile, would rather be cut so he can pick his destination, and he might not be willing to help with a contract adjustment to facilitate a trade. I would think, at this point, the most likely scenario is that he’s back on a reduced contract that has incentives. We’ll see,” Breer wrote.
What Do Packers Plan to Do?
Prior to the draft, the Green Bay Packers hadn’t made a decision on Alexander.
That’s been the same since the draft, but something Green Bay will have to figure out over the next few months. With the San Francisco 49ers needing a corner, it’s uncertain if the team wants to add one, however,
The 49ers are in a position where they could look to add a star like Alexander, but they also have other contract decisions they have to make over the next few months, potentially taking them out of any deal for an $84 million player.
Despite that, there’s also a scenario where he could return to the Packers, according to a recent report.
“According to a source, the Packers and Jaire Alexander continue to talk about a possible resolution, which could include a reconciliation to where Alexander plays for the Packers in 2025 after all,” Rob Demovsky wrote on X. “All options are still on the table: release, trade, or return.”
Why 49ers Should Be Cautious
According to the Green Bay Packers’ general manager, the plan is for the team to work through things as they go. There isn’t an update on his future with the team, but Brian Gutekunst added that he’s on the roster right now and that’s how the Packers will move going forward.
“We’ll work through that as we go,” Gutekunst said, per ESPN. “But no updates there, and he is on our roster right now and that’s how we’ll proceed. But we’ll figure that as we go along.”
It’ll be interesting to see the type of package the San Francisco 49ers or other teams would have to send for Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.
He’s clearly very good, but there have been parts over the past few years where he’s struggled a bit.
The 49ers have to consider that.
