We're about 10 years into this offseason's Jaire Alexander Trade Saga, and, if you can believe it, nothing's really changed! Alexander is still extremely on the Packers, and the Packers are still extremely paying him a lot of money. All those reports from earlier in the offseason about how a trade is 'only a matter of time' and that it'd be done by Draft weekend are, uh, not aging super great.
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In fact, 'not super great' probably doesn't cover it, because according to the latest report ("report") from NFL Insider Albert Breer, it sounds like Alexander's not leaving Green Bay any time soon. In his latest mailbag, Breer provides some interesting info on where things stand, and hints that the two sides aren't going to actually end up separating at all. We love a feel good ending!
It sounds like Jaire Alexander is probably staying on the Packers now
"I’d say yes—at this point, teams have done the bulk of their roster building, and have spent to their cash and cap budgets, and are moving forward with their groups. Maybe an injury somewhere creates some urgency, but as it stands, I think Alexander is stuck, and may have to play ball with the Packers. He’s due to make $17.5 million. Green Bay wanted him to take a pay cut earlier in the season. He refused, and hoped they’d cut him so he could find a new home unencumbered. Instead, the Packers sat on his rights. Now there’s a decision to make. So is a compromise coming? My guess would be that it could arrive in the form of a contract revision that moves some money into per-game roster bonuses, protecting the team against injury, with a chance to make something more than the $17.5 million if he stays healthy and plays at a really high level. We’ll see."
Breer makes it sound like being stuck on the Packers is a bad thing! There are certainly worse career moves than making more than $18 million to be 'stuck' on one of the NFC's best teams. It is fascinating to see how this situation unfolded despite basically every Packers reporter insisting otherwise, which I think is probably just a tough break for the group of reporters who are, typically, pretty plugged into what's happening in Green Bay.
And now, suddenly, the Packers' secondary doesn't feel like the concern it was earlier this offseason. Once they trade for Trey Hendrickson (obviously), they might really be in business.