The Green Bay Packers are still trying to find the right path forward with All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander amid expectations that he will not return in 2025 — and that leaves the door open for the possibility of a draft-night trade for him.
The latest from ESPN’s Rob Demovsky suggests the Packers are showing patience when it comes to Alexander. While he wrote in February that “strong indications” are Green Bay will move on from him this offseason, he added general manager Brian Gutekunst is “not moving him yet” as of the opening day of free-agent negotiations on March 10.
The Packers could release Alexander and save roughly $17.1 million in cap space if they designate him as a post-June 1 cut, but they are likely still hoping they can find a trade for him and get something instead of the nothing that comes with an outright release.
After all, Alexander is a lockdown All-Pro cornerback when healthy enough to play and the fifth-highest-paid cornerback (in average annual value) in the league right now.
That’s why Bleacher Report analyst and former Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert feels the urgency of draft night could shake loose a deal for Alexander from a team looking to improve at cornerback — and even suggested Atlanta as a potential suitor.
“If you are able to get someone like Jaire for a third-round pick … maybe a second-round pick. I think Jaire could have first-round talent and value as soon as he steps back on the football field and is healthy again,” Benkert said. “He is 28 years old, he’s still one of the best DBs in the league, he’s the best DB available on the market right now. And what defense needs him more than anyone? I think it could be the Falcons.”
Is Day 2 Pick Realistic for Jaire Alexander Trade Return?
Benkert is not off the mark thinking the Packers could wait until draft day to cut a deal for Alexander. The urgency of the draft — or missing out on a cornerback talent during the event — can spur teams into action on the trade market, and the Packers might have an opportunity to take advantage of that depending on how the first round plays out.
The Packers receiving a Day 2 selection for Alexander, though? That’s a harder sell.
Alexander is a talented coverage cornerback who is still in his prime, but his injuries are a red flag for any acquiring team. He has played just seven games in each of the last two seasons, missing time due to a combination of groin, shoulder and knee issues. He also suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2021 that limited him to just four games.
Given Alexander’s upside, teams looking for a veteran cornerback should have interest, but they are unlikely to pay such a premium to take a shot on a routinely injured player who — according to Over the Cap — will carry cap hits of about $24.9 million and $27.3 million in 2025 and 2026, respectively, in the final two seasons of his $84 million deal.
The Packers also have the looming expectation that they might just release Alexander, which could give interested teams pause. After all, if the Packers will ultimately release him and allow him to become a free agent, then teams can wait it out and try to sign him to a more cap-friendly contract for the 2025 season — without giving up draft picks.
CB Remains Top Priority Regardless of Jaire Alexander
Regardless of what happens with Alexander — even if he somehow remains in Green Bay — the Packers will need to pursue cornerback talent in the 2025 NFL draft.
Over the three weeks of free agency, the Packers have lost a significant portion of their cornerback depth to other teams. Eric Stokes — a former first-round pick — signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, while Corey Ballentine (Indianapolis Colts) and Robert Rochell (Kansas City Chiefs) also found new homes elsewhere.
Now, the Packers also signed a new cornerback of their own, handing a four-year, $48 million contract to 26-year-old starter Nate Hobbs. At the same time, Hobbs, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine are the only three corners on their roster — excluding Alexander — who have meaningful playing experience, creating a dire need for depth.
Fortunately, the Packers will have ample opportunity to acquire cornerbacks in the NFL draft. They could target one as high as No. 23 overall in the first round, such as Texas’ Jahdae Barron. Gutekunst could also take a similar approach to addressing positional needs as he has in the past and double (or triple) up on selections at the position.
The Alexander domino is more likely to fall before or during the draft than afterward, but there is still time for the Packers to figure out a trade that helps them replace him — perhaps even a crafty maneuver to package Alexander in a deal to move up the order.
