All 49ers

Will the 49ers Sign Former Packers Cornerback Jaire Alexander?

The Green Bay Packers just released two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander. Should the 49ers sign him?
Grant Cohn|
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) reacts after intercepting a pass during the first quarter of the wild card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, January 14, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) reacts after intercepting a pass during the first quarter of the wild card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, January 14, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

San Francisco 49ers

The Green Bay Packers just released two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander. Should the 49ers sign him?

Alexander is only 28 years old. And when he's healthy, he's one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. In 2022, the Packers signed Alexander to a four-year, $84 million extension. But in 2023, he played in just seven games. And then in 2024, he also played in just seven games. Which means he has played in just 14 games since his last Pro Bowl appearance.

So Alexander isn't old, but he also isn't particularly durable, either. And he wasn't durable when he was young. He played in just four games in 2021. He has a serious issue staying healthy. Which means the 49ers probably could sign him for cheap if they're interested in him. They did have success rehabilitating Jason Verrett five years ago. Maybe they feel they can do the same with Alexander.

But if the 49ers want an older cornerback, why not trade for Jalen Ramsey? Ramsey is two years older than Alexander, but Ramsey actually plays football consistently. Last season, he appeared in all 17 regular season games for the Miami Dolphins. Now, he wants out and the 49ers probably could get him for a sixth-round pick in 2026.

In 2016, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and assistant head coach Gus Bradley worked with Ramsey on the Jacksonville Jaguars, so they all know each other.

Meanwhile, Saleh spent time with the Packers as a consultant last season, so he knows Alexander, too.

It will be interesting to see if the 49ers pursue either corner, or if they go cheap and stick with what they already have.

Read more

Published
Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

Share on XFollow grantcohn
Home/News