Packers Release Injured CB Jaire Alexander After Seven Seasons

The Green Bay Packers released cornerback Jaire Alexander after multiple seasons plagued by injuries limited his playing time and made his high salary unsustainable. Despite signing a lucrative four-year extension in 2022 that made him the highest-paid cornerback at the time, Alexander participated in less than 32% of defensive snaps in three of the past four seasons, prompting the team to seek a trade or contract restructure, both of which failed. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst cited Alexander's unreliability due to injuries and the team's confidence in their emerging cornerback depth as primary reasons for the decision. Alexander's release frees significant salary cap space for the Packers, who plan to rely on players like Nate Hobbs, Javon Bullard, Carrington Valentine, and Kalen King. While Alexander was a two-time Pro Bowler and a key defensive player when healthy, the Packers ultimately decided not to gamble on his health moving forward. The move also marks the end of Gutekunst's first draft class era, with Alexander being its most successful pick.