The Inexperienced Bay Packers’ long-term resolution concerning the way forward for Jaire Alexander is predicted to revolve across the $8 million roster bonus owed to the star cornerback on March 20, league sources advised ESPN.
The Packers suspended Alexander — the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback — one sport for conduct detrimental to the staff after he appointed himself a captain for final Sunday’s sport towards the Carolina Panthers and took part within the coin flip.
Alexander will miss Sunday evening’s sport towards the Minnesota Vikings however is predicted to return for Inexperienced Bay’s regular-season finale subsequent weekend towards the Chicago Bears.
However his $8 million bonus now’s anticipated to turn out to be the set off level that seemingly will lead the Packers into a choice on whether or not to they need to maintain Alexander or transfer on from him. Ought to they maintain him, the Packers merely would choose up the choice bonus, however Inexperienced Bay additionally might discover a commerce.
There are different components at stake for the Packers, preferring that their gamers take part of their offseason program in Inexperienced Bay, which Alexander hasn’t achieved. He surrendered a $700,000 exercise bonus final spring to skip the Packers’ offseason program and work out in Florida as an alternative.
Inexperienced Bay additionally should take into account Alexander’s damage historical past; he has missed 9 video games this season — three due to a again damage, then one other six contests due to a shoulder damage. Alexander returned final week in Carolina, solely to be concerned within the coin toss fiasco that led to his suspension for Sunday’s sport towards Minnesota.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur known as Alexander’s coin-toss gaffe “an enormous mistake” however emphasised that the suspension has nothing to do with Alexander not having the ability to play due to accidents.
Alexander, who grew up in Charlotte, walked to midfield earlier than the sport with the Packers’ three captains — Aaron Jones, Quay Walker and Eric Wilson. The Packers didn’t elect season-long captains this yr, as an alternative utilizing a weekly rotation. Alexander known as tails and gained the coin toss, then stated the Packers needed to be on protection, which isn’t the identical as selecting to defer their option to the second half.
Referee Alex Kemp might have taken Alexander’s name to imply the Packers needed to kick off, which then would have allowed Carolina to obtain the ball to start out each halves. However as a result of LaFleur, within the pregame assembly with the officers, knowledgeable Kemp that Inexperienced Bay would defer in the event that they gained the toss, Kemp clarified that Alexander needed to defer.
Alexander didn’t categorical any regret or remorse after the sport, saying it was “solely suiting” when requested why he joined the captains for the coin toss and including that he did not suppose LaFleur “knew I used to be from Charlotte.”
The Packers signed Alexander to a four-year, $84 million contract extension in Could 2022 in a deal that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL historical past by way of annual common wage, and he nonetheless holds that distincion.
However within the opinion of some sources across the league, the Packers can’t be happy with how typically Alexander has been inactive or about his habits final Sunday, making his roster bonus a central problem. Alexander is scheduled to make $16 million in wage and bonus in 2024. If the Packers reduce him earlier than March 20, the lifeless cash would price the Packers greater than $3 million towards their 2024 wage cap.
A two-time second-team All-Professional, Alexander has 4 move breakups however no interceptions in six video games this season.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky contributed to this report.
