Report: Packers taking full dead cap hit of $17 million on Jaire Alexander in 2025

The Green Bay Packers released cornerback Jaire Alexander, opting to absorb his full $17.04 million dead cap hit in the 2025 salary cap instead of spreading it over two seasons. Despite having about $29 million in cap space prior to his release, the decision stemmed from Alexander's limited availability due to injuries and a suspension, which restricted him to 14 games in the last two seasons. General Manager Brian Gutekunst cited the financial burden of keeping an often-injured player as a key reason for the release. Although there was trade interest and an offer for a restructured contract, Alexander declined a pay cut, prompting the Packers to move forward with his release. Gutekunst emphasized that the decision was not personal, but a necessary step due to repeated injury setbacks.