The NFL media seems almost unanimous in its belief that Jaire Alexander will be traded in 2025. Or perhaps it's more being unanimous in the hope that he is traded, since speculation is a lot of fun, and one of the only things to talk about during the slower parts of the NFL offseason.
But just about every offseason we find that the NFL is a little less dramatic in reality than it is in most projections. Big moves happen, but not with nearly as much frequency as they're talked about, and even many "obvious" trade candidates end up staying put.
The Green Bay Packers-Jaire Alexander trade drama could very easily be another one of those situations.
Why Packers Fans Shouldn't Expect a Jaire Alexander Trade
The case for keeping Alexander in Green Bay can be broken down into a few simple points:
- The Packers have no reason to be desperate to move him
- There's not much upside in taking a "sell-low" approach
- Alexander is still a lot better than he's getting credit for
He's got a huge contract, no doubt. Alexander carries a $24.6 million cap hit in 2025, and that climbs to $27 million in 2026. The Pack would free up $7.6 million in 2025 cap space with an immediate trade, and $17.1 million with a trade after June 1. Okay, and then what?
Green Bay is No. 11 in the NFL in cap space, with over $32 million available. Jordan Love has his extension. There are no high-cost free agents out there that Green Bay needs to be chasing after. Guys like Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Christian Watson aren't going to take salary cap gymnastics to extend.
Cap space is nice, but it's simply a tool for roster construction — nobody is making the playoffs based on their salary-adjusted win total.
So why rush to sell low on Alexander? Especially when Love has openly stated he wants him back?
All of the reasons that fans might find him an "obvious" trade candidate are also the reasons that no team will give up anything of value for Alexander. He's 28 years old and has played 7 or fewer games in three of his last four seasons. Plus, most teams don't have the cap space the Packers have.
The Packers are a great drafting team, but is a sixth or seventh-round pick really going to move the needle in a way that Alexander doesn't?
If you say yes, you're severely underrating the impact he still has when he is on the field. That's a big caveat, of course, but he's good enough that it's worth the gamble around his health.
In his injury-shortened 2024 season, Alexander's 78.3 coverage grade on PFF ranked 16th among 222 cornerbacks. That's his third time ranking top-20 in the last four years. And while cornerbacks don't often continue playing at a high level late into their 30s, he should have at least a couple more seasons in his prime.
It's easy to understand the frustration with a guy who has struggled to stay healthy and who has started stirring up some off-field drama. But shipping him out for nearly nothing in return just to prove a point is far too reactive a move.
The Packers consistently prove themselves to be one of the smartest organizations in the NFL, and GM Brian Gutenkunst isn't likely to make a slip-up like trading a premier coverage corner for pennies on the dollar.