The defensive back room for the Green Bay Packers is a little thinner following the team’s decision to release cornerback Jaire Alexander on Monday. The move came after months of speculation about whether the team would trade him or simply cut ties.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, there were early discussions between the Buffalo Bills and Packers this offseason, but nothing ever materialized. Green Bay even tried offering Alexander a reduced, incentive-laden one-year deal, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. The now free agent turned it down, reportedly unhappy with the structure of the contract.
MORE: Packers finally had enough of Jaire Alexander’s weekly ‘will he play?’ dilemma
That said, Alexander is now free to sign with a new team. His departure also forces the Packers to reevaluate their secondary depth and strategy.
For what it’s worth, Green Bay should be relatively accustomed to playing without Alexander. He’s only appeared in a combined 14 regular-season games over the past two seasons. Still, his absence was noticeable. The Packers were 10-4 with Alexander and just 10-10 without him during that span.
The most logical replacement for Alexander is offseason acquisition Nate Hobbs. The four-year veteran signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Packers in what now appears to have been a proactive move in anticipation of Alexander’s departure.
Still, the Packers could look outside the organization for help—starting with free agency. CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan floated a former NFC North rival as a possible fit: longtime veteran Stephon Gilmore.
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“One free agent possibility that could make sense is veteran Stephon Gilmore, who remains on the open market,” Sullivan wrote. “The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year is entering his age-35 season, but is still a capable complementary piece to a cornerback room. For the Minnesota Vikings last season, he did give up a career-high 94.1 passer rating, but did hold opposing quarterbacks to a 61.9 completion percentage and broke up nine passes through 15 games.”
“At the very least, Gilmore is someone who could come in and be a high-end depth piece who has plenty of starting experience playing in high-leverage situations, which the Packers hope to find themselves in during the 2025 season.”
If Gilmore lands with Green Bay, it would be his seventh NFL team in a 14-year career. While his best days are behind him, his veteran leadership and ability to stay on the field could be exactly what the Packers need. Not to mention, he’d be an affordable option. Spotrac projects his market value at one year for $5.3 million.
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