Source: Possible Alexander remains with Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- There's still a chance that cornerback Jaire Alexander will play for the Green Bay Packers in 2025.

What once appeared to be a certain breakup now could be headed toward a reconciliation. A source told ESPN on Tuesday that all options are still on the table: a release, trade or return. Both Alexander and the Packers had expressed frustration over the two-time All-Pro's past two seasons, during which he missed games because of injuries and a suspension.

At the conclusion of last weekend's draft, which saw the Packers wait until the seventh round to take a cornerback (Tulane's Micah Robinson), Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst remained noncommittal about Alexander's future.

"We'll work through that as we go," Gutekunst said. "But no updates there, and he is on our roster right now and that's how we'll proceed. But we'll figure that as we go along."

But Gutekunst, who earlier this offseason said he hoped to get something in return for Alexander if he wasn't going to be on the team this season, would not go so far as to say that Alexander would play for the Packers this season.

"No, I'm just saying nothing's changed," Gutekunst said. "No updates. We'll proceed as we go for right now, and we'll see how it goes."

In 2024, for the second straight season, Alexander appeared in seven of 17 regular-season games. He did not play after Nov. 17 -- despite practicing on a semi-regular basis -- but did not go on injured reserve until the final week of the season. He underwent knee surgery on what he said was a torn PCL. Still, he finished second on the team in pass breakups (seven) and tied for second in interceptions (two).

The Packers began their offseason program last week but did so virtually because of all the congestion around Lambeau Field, which was the site for the draft. Coach Matt LaFleur said Alexander participated in the virtual sessions last week, but it was unclear whether Alexander reported to Green Bay on Monday when voluntary in-person work began. Alexander has a $700,000 workout bonus if he participates in the requisite number of offseason workouts.

The 2018 first-round pick has two years remaining on the four-year, $84 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at the time. The Packers would gain nearly $6.8 million in salary cap space for 2025 if they release him (or more than $17 million if they designate him a post-June 1 cut).

The Packers added to their defense on Tuesday when they signed veteran linebacker Isaiah Simmons. The former first-round pick (No. 8 overall in 2020 with the Cardinals) spent the last two seasons with the Giants, who acquired him in a trade for a seventh-round pick.

The Packers did not draft any linebackers but return Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie and Edgerrin Cooper who are expected to be the main starters.