One of the Detroit Lions' division rivals just moved on from a two-time All-Pro.
After months of speculation about whether Jaire Alexander would be traded this offseason, the Green Bay Packers released him in a move that saved them $17.1 million in cap space.
Since the Packers made that decision, the Lions have been mentioned by multiple writers as a potential landing spot for Alexander.
The problem is that signing Alexander wouldn't make a ton of sense for them.
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes
Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
To start, his injury history is a bit of a red flag..
He has played just seven games in each of the past two seasons. He's also missed at least 10 games in three of the last four seasons.
His most recent absence was because of a knee injury that lingered during the 2024 season and eventually required surgery.
That injury history isn't exactly ideal for a team that was hammered by injuries this past season and already has multiple important defensive pieces who won't be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
There is also the issue of exactly how he fits with the Lions right now.
They just gave D.J. Reed a deal worth $16 million per year. He's going to be on the field whenever possible.
That leaves one starting spot on the outside. The Lions spent their first-round pick on Terrion Arnold last year and are expecting him to have a larger impact in 2025.
Adding Alexander would mean one of two things.
The Lions would either need to convince a two-time All-Pro to accept a smaller role in crowded cornerback room or they'd have to stunt the development of Arnold in his second season by reducing his opportunities.
I can't imagine Alexander is willing to sign cheaply or he might have been able to work something out to stay in Green Bay. If he can't be signed cheaply, it would be really difficult to choose the first option.
The second option isn't an appealing one as the Lions need Arnold to pan out to ensure the future success of their defense.
If the Lions are going to suddenly start throwing money around, they now have needs in the trenches on both sides of the football where they can better spend that money.
The Lions should stay the course at cornerback with Arnold, Reed, and the rest of corners they currently have on the roster rather than unnecessarily adding Alexander to the mix.