Jaire Alexander's new contract extension proves Packers chose not to keep hold of Davante Adams
The Green Bay Packers have made Jaire Alexander a very rich man. The defensive back was given a record four-year, $84 million extension to keep him in Green Bay after a fast start to his career.
The deal is a record for a defensive back, and also includes $31 million in the first year. This is a serious commitment and proves how the Packers feel about their top players.
The #Packers and CB Jaire Alexander have an agreement in principle on a 4-year, $84M extension, source said. He gets a whopping $31M in Year 1.
Or does it? Packers fans have had quite the up-and-down offseason that began with Aaron Rodgers getting a whopping deal worth $50 million annually. The problem was that while he was signed, Davante Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The popular narrative is that Adams was simply done and wanted to play with his college quarterback, Derek Carr. But could he not have been swayed by a lucrative deal?
Adams ended up getting a five-year deal worth just over $141 million. In today's NFL world of salary cap gymnastics, we know the Packers could have figured out a way to make it work. The same way the Rodgers deal works, even if it means pushing off major payments well into the future.
A fair takeaway from the Alexander news is that Green Bay decided it was time to move on from Adams. So why would they come to that conclusion?
The Green Bay Packers are in a unique situation on offense
This is a franchise that is all about succession at quarterback. Such a concept is why there was a transition of power from Brett Favre to Rodgers, meaning there was no rebuilding phase upon the former's departure. However, these succession plans have been notoriously messy.
That is the case with Rodgers at the moment. There was a case of "will he or won't he" return in 2022 and that remains true about his future with the team. He could easily retire after one season and ride off into the sunset.
That made a five-year commitment to a 29-year-old Adams much more difficult. Yes, he and Rodgers showed amazing chemistry together. But would it still exist in 2023 if Jordan Love was lining up under center? And will a decline kick in soon?
There were likely just too many question marks for the front office to commit to Adams on what was briefly a record deal for a receiver.
Instead, the team opted to pay a player like Alexander, who is 25 years old and much cheaper because of his position on the field. This also frees up money to sign skill players on short-term deals to pair with Rodgers in 2022.
Green Bay operates in mysterious ways and while it may seem to hurt the team, Rodgers usually finds a way to lead the team to success. Or at least that has been the formula for the past several seasons.
They won the NFC North last season in what is becoming a regular occurrence. They have won the division eight times in the last eleven years. In 2021 they were top-seed in the NFC finishing 13-4 before losing in the divisional round 13-10 to the San Francisco 49ers.
In 2022 expectations are high and not just in the regular season. After unsuccessful campaigns in the playoffs in recent years, the Packers are determined to go all the way.