On the same day the Green Bay Packers reportedly pushed the door open for a Jaire Alexander return, first-round pick Matthew Golden may have kicked it off its hinges.
In an interview with FanSided's Candace Pedraza for the Stacking the Box podcast, Golden revealed which Packers players have reached out to him.
Notably, he name-dropped the Packers' All-Pro cornerback.
"Jordan Love hit me. Jayden Reed hit me. Jaire Alexander," Golden told Pedraza. "They all texted me, 'It's time to get to work.' So I'm definitely ready."
"I'm glad the process is over. Now I just get to lock in about football."
Alexander, you say? Reaching out to Golden is hardly the move you would expect from a veteran player with one foot out the door. It notably follows Rob Demovsky's report for ESPN that the Packers and Alexander are in conversation about a possible "reconciliation."
At this stage, it makes the most sense.
Matthew Golden's comments give Packers fans another glimmer of hope about potential Jaire Alexander return
Alexander's future remains a mystery, but until now, it was seemingly a foregone conclusion that he would depart. The Packers' lack of urgency to draft cornerback help felt reckless, given Alexander's situation, and perhaps it sparked talks of a reunion.
An All-Pro when healthy but absent for exactly half of the Packers' regular-season contests since 2021, Alexander understandably splits opinion among the fan base.
Green Bay may need to find a creative avenue to lower Alexander's exorbitant salary cap hit, but extending an olive branch is undoubtedly the way to go.
The Packers have Super Bowl ambitions — trading or releasing a multi-time All-Pro at a premium position hardly screams all-in. Granted, they need Alexander on the field to actually make an impact, but there's no denying his talent when healthy.
The alternative? Green Bay would need to scour a depleted free-agent market to find suitable backup behind Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine. They currently sit one injury away from disaster. Bringing back Alexander would restore balance while giving the Packers another elite option in the secondary.
Golden's insight doesn't provide a definitive answer on Alexander's future, but it confirms one thing: Alexander still cares about the Packers.
Now, it's time to bring Jaire home.