Jaire Alexander reportedly signs 4-year, $84M extension with Packers, will be highest-paid DB in NFL
Jaire Alexander broke a few records with the shiny new extension he reportedly signed on Monday.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Alexander and the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a four-year, $84 million contract extension.
Packers and Pro-Bowl CB Jaire Alexander are finalizing a 4-year, $84 million contract extension, per source. Deal includes $31 million in 2022 - a DB record of $30 million in signing bonus. Alexander will receive $42.5M by March. @JohnThornton of @RocNationSports confirmed deal.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 16, 2022
Schefter reported that the 25-year-old Alexander will receive a $30 million signing bonus, a record for defensive backs, and will be paid just over $1 million in salary this season so his cap number can be as small as possible. His average yearly salary will be around $21 million, the highest ever for a defensive back.
Alexander has been with the Packers his entire career. They drafted him 18th overall in 2018, so 2022 would have been the final year of his rookie contract. He was set to earn just over $13 million in 2022, so his new contract extension gives him a pretty big raise.
2021 injury didn't matter to Packers
This extension solidifies Alexander as part of Green Bay's defensive core despite his difficult 2021 season. He started the first four games for the Packers last year, but then went down with a significant shoulder injury that required surgery. He missed the rest of the regular season, and played just eight snaps in the Packers' playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The injury bug may have bitten Alexander last season, but the Packers already knew what they had. After breaking out as a full-time starter in 2019, he became an elite cornerback in 2020 and was named to his first Pro Bowl, and also earned second-team All-Pro honors.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst told ESPN earlier in the offseason that they wanted to sign Alexander to an extension, emphasizing that he's an important part of the team.
"He's such a big part of what we're doing; he's been such a good player for us since the day he kind of arrived," Gutekunst said. "We'd love for [an extension] to happen. Certainly we've been in communication with his representation and we will continue to be as we go through the year."
