It’s no secret the Buffalo Bills were in the market for secondary help this offseason.
After losing Pro Bowl defensive backs Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, and Tre’Davious White, plus cornerback Dane Jackson, two offseasons ago, Buffalo’s secondary took a step back in 2024.
Though the Bills brought both White and Jackson back and added safety Darrick Forest, they were still trying to bolster their defensive backfield, which prompted them to take former Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston with the 30th overall pick in the 2025 draft two months ago.
But before Buffalo grabbed the ex-UK speedster, they reportedly tried to add a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback to their roster, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and head coach Sean McDermott on the field before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and head coach Sean McDermott on the field before the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
David Butler II-Imagn Images
“Sources: The #Packers and #Bills held trade talks this offseason centered around CB Jaire Alexander, but talks ultimately fell through and Buffalo moved on,” Schultz reported.
“It’s unclear if the Bills will revisit things now that Alexander has been released — especially since they spent a first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston — but they were a team that had shown real interest.”
Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro, was released by the Packers on Monday after the team failed to find another suitor willing to take on the 28-year-old CB’s $17 million salary.
Green Bay reportedly offered Alexander a restructured deal, but he refused to accept a lower salary, prompting the Packers to cut bait with their former $84 million star.
Former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was released on June 9.
Former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was released on June 9.
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Alexander will likely have plenty of suitors, and if he prioritizes winning a Super Bowl over chasing a big-money deal, the Bills, who fell just short of making their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994, could be an ideal landing spot.
Though injuries have forced Alexander to miss 20 games over the last two seasons, he was one of the NFL’s premier cover cornerbacks before his run of bad luck.