Jaire Alexander will inevitably become a former Green Bay Packers player in the near future.
Exactly how it happens is the mystery. Recent reports indicate the Packers still hope to find a trade partner for the All-Pro cornerback, but they may have no choice but to release him. Alexander's contract and concerning injury history are enough to put off teams.
Unless they aren't? The Packers clearly believe there's a chance they will get something in return, or else they would've released Alexander by now.
What if Green Bay could include its former first-rounder in a blockbuster player-for-player deal? A recent trade pitch presents that exact scenario.
Brian Gutekunst might not want to admit it, but the Packers desperately need pass-rush help. They can't afford to enter the season with Lukas Van Ness as a starter. Sure, he might turn it around in Year 3 and realize his potential. We all hope it happens. But the Packers can't count on Van Ness making that jump.
A solution, as unlikely as it may be, is to trade for the reigning NFL sack champion.
Blockbuster trade idea has Packers swap Jaire Alexander for Trey Hendrickson
Bleacher Report's Mitchel Milani put together several Alexander trade ideas, and a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals stands out.
Milani has the Packers sending Alexander and a second-round pick to the Bengals for All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson and a fourth-rounder.
"It's not like the Bengals would want to make this trade necessarily because Hendrickson led the NFL in sacks. He's one of the best pass-rushers in football," Milani said. "But if they could get a player that would help them right now out of the trade, that would make the blow a little softer because this is a Bengals team that wants to win right now."
It would be a home run move for the Packers. It's effectively two separate trades — they land Hendrickson for a second-rounder and net a fourth for Alexander. In reality, the Bengals would likely turn down both offers.
That said, Cincinnati is in a similarly difficult situation with Hendrickson as the Packers with Alexander. The star edge defender didn't hold back in his criticism of the Bengals on a recent edition of The Pat McAfee Show. Maybe it was just an attempt to land a massive extension, but it sure sounded like he wanted out.
As Milani points out, the Bengals may be more willing to part ways if they can land a starting cornerback in return. If Alexander stays healthy — and it's a big if — it would be a fair trade for both sides. Alexander is an All-Pro cornerback when available.
This offseason is missing another blockbuster trade. Green Bay and Cincinnati shaking up the NFL Draft by swapping All-Pros would be quite something.
It would be a dream scenario, although a more realistic (and painful) outcome is the Packers releasing Alexander and adding a rookie pass-rusher to their current group.