The Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys will both enter the 2024 season expecting to make the playoffs again. The Cowboys had Super Bowl ambitions throughout the 2023 season. The Packers spent the 2023 season seeking to determine whether they had another franchise quarterback (side note: they do).
The Packers and Cowboys have been named in a transaction that will shake up both clubs significantly.
The Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys are expected to pull off a huge trade.
Matthew Schmidt of NFL Analysis highlighted the following scenario:
Do the Cowboys need Alexander? Not necessarily, as Trevon Diggs will return from a ruptured ACL next season, and DaRon Bland had a breakout in 2023. However, they will most certainly lose Stephon Gilmore to free agency, and in a high-passing league where having several outstanding cornerbacks is becoming increasingly vital, Dallas may look around to see if it can entice Alexander away from Green Bay.
If the Cowboys offer the Packers a 2024 first-round draft pick in exchange for Alexander, Green Bay may decide to take the deal.
Alexander is in the middle of a four-year, $84 million contract that continues until 2026. He just made a cryptic but not-so-cryptic remark on social media, thanking Green Bay supporters for the last six years, implying that the great defensive back believes his time with the Packers is coming to an end.
Alexander endured a difficult season, appearing in only seven games due to injury and a ban. His antics may be wearing thin on the organization, and while he is an excellent cornerback when healthy, Green Bay may be questioning if he is still worth it.
The Cowboys are a team that desperately needs a boost. Despite three consecutive 12-win seasons, they have yet to advance past the Divisional Round. This year, the Packers defeated Dallas in the Wild Card round. In fact, Alexander picked off Dak Prescott in that game.
Will the Packers ever trade Jaire Alexander?
Moving on from Alexander doesn’t make financial sense at this time. Last season, the team and Alexander agreed to a four-year deal worth $84 million. At the time, just $30 million of the $84 million was guaranteed as a signing bonus. Throughout Alexander’s five-year contract, the incentive was prorated (at $6 million per year) over the salary ceiling.
Thus, Alexander’s base dead cap (the cost of trading or releasing him) in 2024 would be $18 million (the signing bonus dead cap). A significant chunk of Alexander’s 2023 compensation was likewise reorganized as a bonus. If the team decides to release Alexander in 2024, the extra bonus will add $9.4 million to the dead cap total.
On top of the financials, Alexander is a team leader, and Matt LaFleur has expressed his love for the All-Pro.
