The Kansas City Chiefs’ 90-man roster is mostly set heading into Organized Team Activities, but general manager Brett Veach is never truly done searching for talent, and a Green Bay Packers trade candidate was floated as a fit for KC.
While answering mailbag questions on April 30, Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer included the Chiefs in some trade chatter involving two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander.
“I could throw the San Francisco 49ers, [Los Angeles] Rams, [Pittsburgh] 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 responded, when asked where Alexander might land if he’s traded.
“The question, to me, comes down to money,” the insider went on to acknowledge. “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.”
Breer also noted that Alexander “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.”
Chiefs Don’t Have the Cap Space to Trade for Jaire Alexander Unless the Packers Help With His Contract
Breer hit the nail right on the head when he said that Alexander’s trade likelihood “comes down to money.”
The Chiefs have been short on cap space this entire offseason, and they currently only have approximately $12.781 million according to Over the Cap.
That means an Alexander trade pursuit is unlikely, unless, of course, the Packers chipped in to help facilitate a deal. But would they really do that for KC of all teams? Considering their recent run of Super Bowl appearances.
Kansas City could certainly pursue Alexander if he’s released. Although Breer overstates their CB need a little in his answer.
Let’s not forget that the Chiefs just spent $10 million per year on Kristian Fulton, and they also just picked up the fifth-year option of ex-All-Pro Trent McDuffie. Not to mention Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson are still on the roster, and Veach just used a third-round pick on rookie Nohl Williams.
Alexander would be an upgrade on at least a few of those players, no doubt, but cornerback is no longer a pressing need.
NFL Insider Provides Update on ‘Contract Situation’ Between Jaire Alexander & Packers
NFL insider Josina Anderson just so happened to post the latest on Alexander and the Packers on May 2. Below is what she’s been hearing:
I’m told there already is an understanding in place between the Packers and CB Jaire Alexander to come to an agreement on his roster and contract situation first, prior to an arrival for the team’s offseason program, per league source.
Alexander is not currently in attendance for the Packers in-person workouts, per head coach Matt LaFleur. He reportedly participated in remote sessions last week.
The Packers have had exploratory trade talks with other clubs involving Alexander. Releasing him is also an option.
I’ve spoken to at least two teams monitoring Alexander’s status for quite some time.
To summarize, Alexander plans to be a no-show until his contract is figured out. If that does not occur, he’ll likely push for a trade or a release.
Circling back to what Breer said, a release gives Alexander much more power, as he can decide his next team. It’s unclear what he’d be willing to sign for on the open market, but a new deal would allow for much more creativity in terms of his 2025 cap hit.
In that scenario, the Chiefs could at least check in on Alexander as a potential late free agent addition.
