25 January 2024 , 04:00
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The Green Bay Packers have confirmed that defensive coordinator Joe Barry won't be returning to the team, just a day after Jaire Alexander posted a heartfelt message on Instagram thanking fans for his time in Wisconsin.
The Packers are shaking things up for 2024 as things didn't quite work out with Barry. Head coach Matt LaFleur was the one who brought him on board in 2021, taking over from Mike Pettine.
Even though they bowed out of the playoffs on Saturday with a 24-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers can hold their heads high this season. Quarterback Jordan Love shone in his first year as starter. The Packers are a young team with lots of promise, but fans are starting to wonder if star cornerback Alexander will stick around.
After the season ended, Alexander posted several photos on Instagram, which is pretty normal for players as they reflect on the past year. But Alexander's post had a different tone, almost as if he was looking back on his whole career with the Packers.
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"Thank you, God. Thank you, Lambeau, for 6 years. Thank you those who showed love throughout my journey," Alexander wrote next to photos from the season. His post has got many fans worried and thinking it's a goodbye message, but it wouldn't make sense for the Packers to let him go.
Spotrac reveals that Alexander's cap hit will reach a whopping $23.98 million in 2024. If the Packers were to release or trade the cornerback, they'd be left with a dead cap hit of $27.46 million, leaving them financially worse off without one of their star defensive players.
It seems likely that Alexander will be back on the field for Green Bay in 2024, but under new defensive guidance after the Packers let Barry go. Packers head coach LaFleur expressed his gratitude, saying: "We want to thank Joe for his commitment and contributions to our success the past three seasons,"
Jaire Alexander has sparked concern amongst Green Bay Packers fans (No credit)LaFleur added: "These decisions are extremely difficult and Joe is one of the best men I've had the opportunity to work with in this league." In 2023, the Packers defense ranked 17th in yards allowed and 10th in points. They conceded the 28th-most rushing yards in the league but held their opponents to the ninth-fewest passing yards.
Despite some struggles throughout the season, the Packers managed a second-half comeback and even pulled off a major upset against the Dallas Cowboys on Wild Card Weekend after securing a playoff spot. However, this late rally wasn't enough to save Barry, and now the team will explore their options.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]