One of Giants GM Joe Schoen’s main objectives this offseason has been assembling a veteran roster capable of winning enough games to secure both his and head coach Brian Daboll’s futures with the team.
He’s already taken steps in that direction by strengthening the secondary—adding experienced players like cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland, the latter praised by rival executives as a potential immediate difference-maker. Now, Schoen may have a chance to make his biggest move yet.
Former Packers All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander became available Monday after being released by Green Bay due to a contract dispute. At 28, Alexander was seeking a long-term deal and was set to enter the final year of an $84 million extension he signed in 2022. Now, he’s a free agent and free to sign wherever he chooses.
While the Giants may not be his top destination, there’s a potential opening if other teams hesitate due to his injury history. For New York, that could be an opportunity to land a proven veteran with high upside. When healthy, Alexander—twice named Second-Team All-Pro—can be a game-changer. Despite injuries limiting him to just seven games last year, he still recorded two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and 16 tackles.
Health remains a major concern, though. Alexander has struggled with various injuries—neck, groin, shoulder, and ankle—that have kept him to only 14 total appearances over the past two seasons. Still, if he can stay on the field, his impact would be immediate and significant for the Giants’ secondary.
By signing Adebo and Holland, the Giants acknowledged their defensive backfield needed veteran help, especially after losing Xavier McKinney in free agency. While the team is hopeful young players like Dru Phillips and Cor’Dale Flott will progress in 2025, bringing in Alexander would give the unit another proven talent—possibly even an upgrade over Deonte Banks.
Given the competition in the NFC East—featuring elite wideout tandems like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in Philadelphia, Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel in Washington, and George Pickens with CeeDee Lamb in Dallas—landing Alexander would send a strong message. It would also help close the gap in a division where the Giants have fallen behind in recent years.
If Schoen is serious about creating a veteran-led, competitive team this season, Jaire Alexander is the kind of player who could immediately elevate the defense, which may need to carry the team while the offense finds its rhythm.
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