Packers updated salary cap situation after Jaire Alexander extension

How much cap space do the Green Bay Packers have in 2022 following Jaire Alexander’s contract extension?

All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander landed a well-deserved contract extension with the Green Bay Packers, making him the highest-paid defensive back in the league.

Where does this leave the Packers in terms of salary cap space?

According to Spotrac, Green Bay still has $16.77 million in cap space this season.

Note that this doesn’t yet include cap numbers for rookies Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Zach Tom, who are yet to sign their deals.

Alexander’s new deal comes with a relatively low cap hit this year before jumping up in 2023. This helps the Packers this season.

This year, Alexander’s cap hit is an affordable $7.08 million, per Spotrac.

It will rise to $20 million in 2023, $22 million in 2024, $23.5 million in 2025, and $25.5 million in 2026. They are high cap hits, but the salary cap should rise each year, which will help make the contract more affordable.

Once Watson, Doubs, and Tom sign, Green Bay will have slightly less cap space available.

First-round picks Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt have cap hits lower than $3 million, so we should expect the same for second-round pick Watson’s deal.

The cap hits for Doubs and Tom could be significantly lower than that as they were picked later in the draft.

Even when the entire rookie class is signed, the Packers should still have some flexibility.

Some cap space will be saved for the regular season. You never know when an in-season addition might be required, like when Green Bay signed Rasul Douglas in 2021.

There is also the option to sign an affordable free agent or two over the summer. Again, something the Packers successfully did a year ago by signing De’Vondre Campbell in June.

With around $17 million left in cap space, there is some room to add more talent to the roster when required.