Last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers under GM Omar Khan addressed a major need at cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr. by utilizing the trade market, flipping wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson.
Jackson then proceeded to turn in a career-year with five interceptions and a fumble recovery, though he struggled with a shoulder and back injury down the stretch and was a liability in coverage late in the season.
He’s set to hit free agency now, though, and it’s unclear if the Steelers will do business with him again, even with GM Omar Khan stating that they’re open to re-signing him. But, what the Steelers could do is go back out to the trade market once again, especially with Green Bay Packers’ cornerback Jaire Alexander reportedly on the trade block.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Packers are open to moving the 28-year-old cornerback. Alexander has two years and $37 million remaining on his contract, according to Rapoport.
“Sources: The #Packers have had trade conversations centered around star CB Jaire Alexander and they are open to moving him for the right price,” Rapoport wrote on Twitter.
Alexander previously signed a four year, $84 million extension with a $30 million signing bonus in May of 2022.
Alexander is coming off of the second-straight injury-filled season, playing just seven games. He’s played just 14 total games the last two seasons. Last season for the Packers, Alexander had two interceptions and 16 tackles, but didn’t see action after Week 10 due to a knee injury that ultimately required arthroscopic surgery on Jan. 1, 2025.
Alexander missed six games due to a shoulder injury in 2023, and missed one other game due to suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
Across seven seasons, Alexander has played in 78 games and has 241 tackles and 12 interceptions. He’s a two-time second-team All-Pro and has been voted to two Pro Bowls in his career.
The former Louisville cornerback that was a first-round pick of the Packers is a player who was connected to the Steelers in the 2018 NFL Draft, mocked to the Steelers by the likes of Daniel Jeremiah, Dane Brugler, Chad Reuter and even Peter King.
In a study from 2018 looking at what the Steelers typically look for in cornerbacks at the time, Alexander checked every box in the study from Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora.
For what it’s worth, the Steelers and the Packers have some history trading, most recently doing so at the trade deadline when Khan and the Steelers acquired veteran OLB Preston Smith from the Packers and GM Brian Gutekunst for a seventh-round pick.
