Once-great Packers’ pillar now has team stuck in lose-lose situation

It wasn't so long ago that cornerback Jaire Alexander was considered to be a franchise building block for the Green Bay Packers. Missing 14 games over the course of the last two seasons changed all that. Now it's clear that GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff want to offload the former Pro Bowler before the 2025 NFL Draft.

Unfortunately for decision-makers in Green Bay, trading Alexander is not a straightforward proposition. They've been working the phone for weeks trying to find a team interested in taking on the injury-prone defensive back. Alexander's $17.5 million salary has proven to be a major stumbling block in trade talks.

Sources told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the Packers "appeared close" to finding a willing trade partner early in the free agency period. Alexander's unwillingness to fit into that team's salary structure scuppered the deal. The team's subsequent efforts to find a deal haven't proved to be fruitful.

The problem for the Packers is that Alexander does not have a lot of motivation to cooperate. He does not need to take a pay cut to grease the skids for a trade. Green Bay is motivated to make a trade where they can get an infusion of draft capital in exchange for Alexander. That's of no concern to the player. His only motivation in this situation is trying to maximize his earnings.

Of course, teams around the NFL who are fielding calls from the Packers realize the tough situation the team is in. That's why a number of teams interested in Alexander's services are playing the long game in hopes that Green Bay will ultimately choose to release the cornerback to realize some savings against the salary cap.

Paying $17.5 million for a cornerback with such a lengthy injury history is a poor investment for a team that fancies itself as a Super Bowl contender. The complexion of Alexander's spot on a roster changes completely if a team can land him on an incentive-laden one-year deal that ties his salary to availability.

It's still in the best interest of the Packers to resolve this situation ahead of the draft. The number of teams looking for help at cornerback will drop significantly after some of those teams spend early-round picks on the position. Time is ticking for Green Bay if they have any hope of getting a return for their former defensive star.