The Green Bay Packers were going to sign Jaire Alexander to a contract extension. It was a matter of when and how much.
It happened on Monday, and it included a defensive-back-record signing bonus of $30 million as part of a four-year, $84 million contract. Alexander's new deal is a new record for defensive backs.
Alexander was tied to the Packers for only this season on his fifth-year option. This year's salary cap would have counted for the entire $13.294 million paid to him for 2022, which would have made it 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465. With the signing bonus and lower base salary, the Packers will create additional salary-cap space. They had $11 million in cap space before this deal. Exactly how much cap space was created won't be known until the full details of the contract are available.
Player | APY |
---|---|
Jaire Alexander | $21M |
Denzel Ward | $20.3M |
Jalen Ramsey | $20M |
-- ESPN Stats & Information |
Brian Gutekunst, the Packers general manager, had said that an extension for Alexander was possible. When asked before the draft if they could get a long-term deal done with him, Gutekunst said: "I think we will get through this draft weekend and we will do down that road with some of those players."
Alexander has been a good player for us since the day he arrived, according to Gutekunst. We have been in communication with his representation and we will continue to be as we go through the year.
The Packers first-round pick became a star. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2020 after being named to the All-Rookie team in 2018, as well as being picked as a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019.
He played in the playoffs after missing three months with a shoulder injury, but he only played in four games. He led the Packers in pass breakups in each of his first three seasons, and had the fourth-most in the league over the last three years. Only James Bradberry had more.
The Packers have made a commitment to the position. In March, they re-signed Rasul Douglas to a three-year, $21 million deal after drafting Eric Stokes in the first round of the 2021.