Jaire Alexander Needs $10,000,000 To Show Up To Voluntary Workouts

Jaire on why he skipped Packers OTA's

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Yesterday Jaire Alexander spoke with the media after the Packers first day of mandatory minicamp. Reporters gathered around his locker.

The first question that came his way is, why did he skip voluntary OTAs? 

Jaire responded,

“I think for me, I know what works for me at this point. I’m on year 6 so, 2 pro bowls, 2 all pros, I think I know what I got going on here.”

Hard to argue with that logic. It’s similar to Aaron Rodgers' response for skipping voluntary OTAs last season. Both seem to agree that personally, they were better off doing their own thing. 

When you’re a proven player at the level of Jaire Alexander and Aaron Rodgers you don’t run the risk of someone stealing your job by not showing up. When a team is paying you of millions of dollars each season you don’t have to worry, your job is safe. If you’re a young unproven player, that’s another story. 

The decision to stay away cost Alexander $700,000. Now that’s a lot of money… 

But Jaire doesn't have to worry. His recent contract should ensure that he’ll never have to worry about money for the rest of his life. 

Last off-season Jaire signed a 4 year $84 million contract. He was scheduled to make $14 million in 2023 if he had shown up to 84.37% of OTAs, which means by not showing up he’ll be bringing home about $13.3 million instead. That’s a 5% pay cut. That’s sizable even for a guy like Jaire. 

One reporter asked Jaire how much it would take for him to show up to voluntary OTAs and he sat there for a second contemplating his answer, then said, “I would’ve been there for 10.”

He clarified “10 million” and laughed. He said the $700,000 bonus just wasn’t worth it for him. 

I imagine if you talked with Jaire’s former self from back in highschool and told him that one day he’d be willing to pass up $700k by not showing up to voluntary practice, he’d laugh. It’s another indication of just how far he’s come since the Packers traded up to draft him #18 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. 

With Aaron Rodgers out the door Jaire is one of the key leaders on this Packers team. So much of the focus this off-season has been on Jordan Love taking over, and rightly so. But if the Packers defense doesn’t come to play in 2023 it doesn’t really matter how good Jordan Love is. 

Before the 2022 season there were high hopes for the Packers defensive unit. They had a chance to be one of the best defenses in the NFL. That’s not how the 2022 season played out. 

Instead of improving on their 10th ranked scoring defense from 2021 they regressed and finished 16th. Even in a down year for the defense, Jaire didn’t skip a beat. He had the most interceptions in his career (5). He only allowed a 66.2 passer rating when targeted. That was an improvement on his 93.5 passer rating allowed in 2021. 

Jaire can only do so much. 

It’s going to take the rest of the unit coming together. With Adrian Amos now with the New York Jets and Eric Stokes and Rashan Gary recovering from serious injuries, it’s going to take the young players rising to the task. 

The Packers have invested heavily in this defense over the past 2 seasons. MLB Quay Walker and DT Devonte Wyatt drafted in the 1st round in the 2022 draft. Edge rusher Lukas Van Ness drafted #13 in this year's draft. The makings are there for this defense to be elite if Joe Barry can bring it all together. 

And that’s a big if…

Over the past 2 seasons we’ve witnessed a defense that’s up one week and down the next. Barry has struggled to create consistent success. It feels like every time the signs point to the Packers moving on from Barry, he does just enough to convince the Packers to hold onto him a little longer. Then he makes them think he’s figured it all out, and then the cycle continues. Let’s hope that changes in 2023.

One things for sure. The Packers have one of the best corners in the league. And that’s the foundation the Packers can build on entering next season.