Releasing Jaire Alexander created concern about the strength of the Green Bay Packers’ cornerback group.
I have nothing to alleviate that concern other than contentment with the knowledge that this release was almost a given, and Green Bay’s moves this offseason reflected that they were moving on.
Green Bay didn’t receive any enticing offers for their All-Pro corner; his contract was too rich for a player who consistently misses time. But now that Alexander is free to sign anywhere, there is concern that he could be an impact player on his next team, and that the next team could be a rival. Alexander wouldn’t be the first ex-Packer to end up with the Minnesota Vikings.
If Alexander signs with the Vikings or a similar team and shuts down a Packers receiver, social media won’t take it humbly.
While it’s possible, Green Bay usually makes the correct choice when it moves on from a player. The Packers don’t often let a player go and regret it, especially since Brian Gutekunst took over as general manager. Alexander still has the talent to be a star corner, but history is on Green Bay’s side.
Gutekunst hasn’t been shy about releasing big-name players before they start to decline. One of his first big moves as general manager was to release fan-favorite Jordy Nelson! That willingness to thank a player for what they’ve done but move on without a second thought angered Aaron Rodgers. One of the future Hall of Famer’s biggest issues with the team was how he viewed the front office’s treatment of veteran players.
We don’t know much about the actual conversations, but Gutekunst’s instincts are usually right. Unfortunately, football is a business, so even the most beloved players might exit before the fans are ready. Still, Gutekunst would rather move on a year too early than a year too late. Most of his releases had quiet careers after their time in Green Bay.
After Green Bay released him, Nelson had a modest 739 yards and three touchdowns with the Las Vegas Raiders and retired the next season.
Some of Rodgers’ other targets had similar fates. Randall Cobb‘s seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and New York Jets were nothing special. Robert Tonyan didn’t excel with the Vikings or the Chicago Bears. Allen Lazard was a healthy scratch in many games for the Jets.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, while he had some stellar individual games in the playoffs, the offense never ran through him. Jamaal Williams led the NFL in touchdowns in 2022 with the Detroit Lions, but he only had 470 yards after that season.
Bryan Bulaga spent his final year in Green Bay healthy, playing all 16 games. However, that luck ran out when he went to the Los Angeles Chargers, where he played in 11 games over two seasons.
Some recent players allowed to walk found roles and the occasional big contract, including Yosh Nijman, Jon Runyan Jr., and Darnell Savage. Still, they haven’t made headlines with their new teams.
There haven’t been many good examples of when Gutekunst would regret releasing a player. Still, there are a few players worth discussing who found success after Green Bay.
Former center Corey Linsley was too expensive for another deal in Green Bay and had a good stint with the Chargers. He won second-team All-Pro and his first Pro Bowl in his first season in Los Angeles. Injuries cut short his third season with the Chargers, but he played well after leaving the Packers.
Another Rodgers favorite, Davante Adams, continued his strong career with the Raiders, earning first-team All-Pro and his sixth Pro Bowl nomination in 2022. His 14 receiving touchdowns were the most in the league. He had another solid season in 2024 and still managed to put up over 1,000 yards playing for Vegas and the Jets last season.
Adams is an exception, though, because the Packers didn’t want to move on. He wanted a trade, and the Packers tried to do right by one of their best players. Adams would have remained in Green Bay if it had been up to Gutekunst.
Za’Darius Smith ended his Packers career disgruntled and won a Pro Bowl with the rival Vikings after leaving Green Bay. However, Smith’s ego has followed him to every new stop, and he’s become a mercenary.
Aaron Jones also signed with the Vikings after his release. He had a solid season, staying healthy and having the most rushing attempts (255) and yards (1138) of his career. He’s another player the Packers would have liked to retain, but they have no regrets after Josh Jacobs‘ season last year. We’ll see how Jones, 30, looks in his second season with Minnesota.
Realistically, Linsley is the only player Gutekunst might regret moving on from, but it made sense at the time. Generally, Green Bay moved on from players before a decline could hurt the team. Packers fans will surely follow Alexander’s future exploits. There’s a chance the injury bug spares him, and he looks like a steal to the new team. But that’s a rare exception. Generally, Gutekunst has good instincts on when it’s time to move on from a player.