ClutchPoints
The Green Bay Packers have liked the way cornerback Jaire Alexander played and performed throughout his career with the team. However, they did not like the number of games he missed due to injury. As a result, the Packers parted company Alexander earlier this week.
General manager Brian Gutekunst did not blame Alexander for missing time on the field due to his multiple maladies. However, he said the team made the decision to part company with the cornerback because the team was not getting its money’s worth because of all the games that had been missed.
“Over the last four years, there’s been a lot of games missed,” said Gutekunst. “I just think for what that amount of money is, I think that’s a lot to pay for a guy who hasn’t been able to get on the field.”
Alexander was the No. 18 pick in the 2018 draft. He earned a spot on two All-Pro teams (second team) in 2020 and 2022.
However, Alexander missed 13 games in 2021 and 20 games over the last two seasons as a result of multiple injuries.
Alexander’s father, Earl Landis Alexander, said the cornerback was willing to rework the contract, but the Packers were not interested in making a reasonable offer.
“I appreciate how you said that as it was spot on,” Alexander said, saying that no guarantees will make a player expendable in the NFL. “The only thing that was slightly off is that there was an unwillingness to rework a contract. There actually was a willingness, they just offered something that would have been foolish to take. The unwillingness was on them.”
While his injury history will likely keep Alexander from getting a big-money offer, a number of interested teams seem likely to come calling.
Alexander played in seven games in each of the past two years. He had two interceptions and seven passes defensed last year in addition to 16 tackles. Alexander had five passes defensed in 2023 with 27 tackles.
He was brilliant in the 2022 season when he had five interceptions, 14 passes defensed and 56 tackles, including four tackles for loss.
The Packers made the playoffs last season in a division widely considered to be the best in the NFL. However, they finished in third place behind the powerful Detroit Lions and the 14-win Minnesota Vikings. If the Packers are going to challenge for the division title, the secondary must hold up against both the Lions and the Vikings.
The post Jaire Alexander’s dad sounds off on son’s Packers’ release appeared first on ClutchPoints.
