How Alexander's Packers extension impacts Bears' rebuild originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
When Aaron Rodgers' walked off Lambeau Field in January after the Green Bay's NFC Divisional Round loss to the 49ers, the Packers' future appeared to be in limbo.
Even after Rodgers' agreed to a three-year, $150.8 million extension to stay in Green Bay, the Packers' status as a constant presence atop the NFC was uncertain after they traded Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.
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However, Green Bay's plan to lord over the NFC North and contend for Super Bowls for the remainder of Rodgers' career has crystallized in the past two months. The Packers' plan is to support Rodgers not with a host of dynamic offensive weapons but with a defense that should be among the best in the conference -- one that will give the rebuilding Bears issues early on in the Matt Eberflus-Ryan Poles era.
The Packers cemented that plan Monday when they locked up star cornerback Jaire Alexander with a four-year, $84 million extension that will pay him $31 million in the first year. That makes Alexander the top-earning corner in the NFL in annual salary.
Alexander's extension is the latest move in an offseason focused on defense in Green Bay. The Packers re-signed linebacker De'Vondre Campbell and cornerback Rasul Douglas. After trading Adams. the Packers used both of their first-round picks on defensive stars from Georgia, selecting linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt.
The Packers now have Alexander, Douglas, and cornerback Eric Stokes under contract for the next three seasons.
As the Bears start a ground-floor rebuild, the Packers have surveyed the NFC landscape and realized a stout defense and Rodgers should be enough to get them out of the conference.
Outside of Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford, the NFC is full of either young quarterbacks who are unproven in the playoffs (Kyler Murray, Justin Fields, Trey Lance) or good but not great signal-callers who won't scare a dominant defense (Dak Prescott, Kirk Cousins, Jalen Hurts).
Losing Adams on the heels of another playoff flop briefly indicated that Green Bay might be coming back to the pack in the NFC North if they didn't surround Rodgers with the proper arsenal.
Instead, the Packers have bolstered their defense and are betting that Rodgers' greatness can elevate the current pack of receivers. (The addition of second-round pick Christian Watson will help.)
The Packers' plan to stabilize their run through their defense allows the Bears to be patient with their rebuild. Eberflus and Poles can now focus on building a sustainable winner and not have to feel rushed to fill the void left by a premature Packers decline.
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