Packers

Jaire Alexander’s Future With Packers To Hinge On $8M Roster Bonus?

December 30, 2023

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Packers face a big decision this offseason regarding CB Jaire Alexander and his $8 million roster bonus owed on March 20.

The Packers opted to suspend Alexander one game for conduct detrimental to the team after he appointed himself as a captain last weekend and nearly botched the coin toss.

Schefter explains that Alexander’s bonus is expected to become the trigger point regarding whether to keep him or move on.

According to Schefter, it’s possible the Packers could consider trading away their top cornerback if they don’t want to pick up his bonus.

Schefter notes that the Packers prefer to have their players participate in their offseason program in Green Bay, but Alexander declined to do so, even though he forfeited a $700,000 workout bonus.

Beyond that, Schefter adds that “in the opinion of some sources around the league, the Packers cannot be pleased with how often Alexander has been inactive or about his behavior last Sunday, making his roster bonus a central issue.”

According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Alexander would result in $27,456,000 of dead money and -$3,092,000 of cap space so that doesn’t seem like an option. The numbers improve to $8,364,000 of dead money and $16 million of cap savings if they wait until June 1, but that also seems unlikely.

Alexander, 26, is the former 18th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Packers. He was entering the fourth year of a four-year, $12.050 million rookie deal that included a $6.844 million signing bonus before Green Bay picked up his option.

Alexander was set to make a fully guaranteed base salary of $13.294 million in 2022 under the fifth-year option when the Packers signed him to a four-year, $84 million extension.

In 2023, Alexander has appeared in six games for the Packers, recording 26 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and four pass deflections.