$8 million roster bonus forces Packers to make early offseason decision on Jaire Alexander

The Packers have suspended cornerback Jaire Alexander for his decision to crash the coin toss in Charlotte last Sunday. Soon, they’ll have to make another tough decision about Alexander.

As noted by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Alexander has an $8 million roster bonus due in March.

It’s not uncommon for contracts to include such terms. It forces a team to make an early call on whether to bring the player back or cut him loose. The earlier the player is cut, the more likely he is to get maximum compensation elsewhere.

Here are the full details of the four-year, $84 million extension Alexander signed with the Packers in May 2022. Although Schefter writes that cutting Alexander would result in $3 million in dead money for 2024, the truth is that the Packers would have to absorb more than $27.4 million, sooner or later.

If Alexander is cut with a post-June 1 designation, the Packers would have $8.364 million hit the cap in 2024, with the remaining $19.092 applying to the 2025 cap.

A Pro Bowler in 2022, Alexander appeared in 16 regular-season games. Injuries have limited him to six this year.