The Jaire Alexander era is officially over. After months of contract stand-offs, trade speculation, and false hope of a resolution, the Green Bay Packers finally cut ties with their All-Pro cornerback. It was a move fans saw coming months ago — and yet, somehow, it still managed to drag on late into the offseason.
Green Bay had every chance to get ahead of this. The warning signs were there, from Alexander’s repeated injuries to the financial standoff that dragged into the summer. Now, the cornerback room is in disarray. There’s Nate Hobbs and not much else in terms of proven high-level play. If the Packers want to keep pace in the NFL's toughest conference, they can’t roll into September crossing their fingers that Keisean Nixon or Carrington Valentine becomes a CB1 overnight.
That’s where free agent (and very patient) Stephon Gilmore enters the picture. Yes, he’s 34. No, he’s not a Defensive Player of the Year anymore. But if the goal is to stay competitive in a wide-open NFC and bring some structure back to the secondary, Gilmore makes way more sense than any name left on the free-agent board.
Packers should target Stephon Gilmore to fill Jaire Alexander’s void
The Packers already know what happens without Alexander — the drop-off has been clear. Over the past two seasons, Green Bay went 10-4 when Alexander was on the field and 10-10 without him.
To no one's surprise, opposing quarterbacks completed more passes and had a higher passer rating when he was sidelined. Now that his absence is permanent, there’s no safety net. There’s just an empty spot where a whole lot of blanketing and seatbelt cellies used to be.
Gilmore might not bring shutdown coverage every week, but he brings tons of experience. Last season in Minnesota, he started 15 games and allowed a completion rate under 62%, while breaking up nine passes and grabbing a game-sealing interception. He can still play meaningful snaps, especially in a defense that has playmakers behind him.
More importantly, Gilmore wouldn’t need to carry the load. With Hobbs handling the slot and Nixon and Valentine projected to be on the outside, Gilmore could slide into a defined role without the burden of being anything more than a highly leveraged depth piece.
The best part is, with around $45 million in cap space, Green Bay can easily afford to make a short-term investment. Gilmore’s price tag won’t be outrageous, and the return could be more important than anyone realizes — especially in a division where Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and D.J. Moore are looming every week.
It wouldn’t be a headline-grabber, but bringing in Gilmore would give the Packers something they suddenly lack — a dependable veteran who knows how to hold his own. That alone makes the move worth considering.