Malcontent Packers Rarely Find Success Elsewhere
Packers who leave with an axe to grind often fail to perform in their next stop.
By TimBackes

At the end of the 2024 season, it seemed to be a given that Jaire Alexander would not be back with the Packers in 2025. However, as the offseason has gone on and the situation has evolved, it has turned out that there is still actually a good chance Alexander will be wearing the green and gold this season.
This is probably in both Alexander's and the Packers' best interest; Alexander gets to stay in a familiar environment where his skills are needed, and the Packers avoid taking a significant blow to their secondary, especially considering the few steps taken to address the cornerback position in the offseason.
But it's also worth considering that previous Packer malcontents have rarely ended up discovering that the grass was greener on the other side.
Some examples:
- Aaron Rodgers: The most prominent recent example, Aaron Rodgers got his trade to New York where he spent one year rehabbing a ruptured achilles and another year being a primary contributor to the implosion of the Jets' franchise. He now is 41 without a team and may be forced into retirement.
- Greg Jennings: After sharing displeasure regarding his role with the Packers and his relationship with Rodgers, Jennings put together some pretty average seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins, never even coming close to replicating the numbers he racked up in Green Bay.
- Martellus Bennett: Bennett lasted a whole half season in Green Bay before his toxic attitude earned him a trip out of town. He spent some time in New England that season and then never played again.
- Davante Adams: Maybe not as much of a malcontent as other players on this list, but still someone who had problems with the direction the Packers were taken and who was offended by the Packers being initially unwilling to pay him the contract he felt he deserved. Adams has played good football beyond Green Bay, but it was a struggle in Las Vegas and New York, and now he's on his third team in the last calendar year in the Rams.
- Josh Sitton: Sitton was released by the Packers after some friction with coaches and within the locker room. He never again achieved the same level of play that he had established in Green Bay.
There have been plenty of examples of players departing from Green Bay on relatively amicable terms, but in general, the players with the highest-profile negative exits have tended to struggle elsewhere, and there's certainly reason to believe Alexander would be one of them.
Hopefully the relationship between Alexander and the Packers mends, he stays healthy, and he plays at the level that earned him his contract.
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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.
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Comments (54)
Cheezehead72
May 29, 2025 at 06:29 am
I was happy when the Packers signed Martellus Bennett. I thought he would be better than Jarad Cook who was a very good TE. Oh was I wrong. I wish the Packers would have paid Cook what he wanted or at least close to what he wanted. He proved to be a much better TE.
TKWorldWide
May 29, 2025 at 06:35 am
What is the latest on Ja’s contract? Did the Packers offer a restructured deal that he is likely to decline? Is June 1st some kind of deadline?
Coldworld
May 29, 2025 at 09:17 am
Wait for mandatory mini-camp at least. The last rumor was that he would be attending that. However, he is unlikely likely to suffer much from missing these walk throughs in football terms. The Packers are also avoiding the risk of a football injury (real or claimed) cropping up to complicate matters. June 1 doesn’t mean anything really, as teams can designate post June 1 at any time in the off season.
Jenkins is more interesting because of the positional change. Not only does he need snaps there this summer C (although at OTAs it probably doesn’t hurt him too much) but others are getting more experience and exposure the longer he is away, strengthening any competition.
One thing I would like to have heard is, if Monk and Rhyan shared C duties with the ones and played at G otherwise, who was at C with second and third strings?
Cheezehead72
May 29, 2025 at 09:24 am
Last I heard is the Packers offered him a restructure.
I'd like to know what is happening but I am happy that nothing has been made public.
stockholder
May 29, 2025 at 07:09 am
Most have lost club backing.
The appreciation is gone.
Fans taking out their frustration,
usually end up hurting Cohesion.
Profits are the primary goal
of the NFL now.
In the end, the fit is gone.
Their snaps change.
Winning isn't a priority.
LLCHESTY
May 29, 2025 at 10:12 am
"Fans taking out their frustration,
usually end up hurting Cohesion."
Shoveling the manure on heavy today Stocky.
stockholder
May 29, 2025 at 10:34 am
Sounds like you need a job.
dblbogey
May 29, 2025 at 08:28 pm
The guy with 35,000 downvotes needs a new hobby.
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 10:34 am
Stockholder speaks code.
Meaning known only to him.
What is being said?
(Haiku Thursday)
dblbogey
May 29, 2025 at 08:31 pm
"In the end, the fit is gone.
Their snaps change.
Winning isn't a priority."
He's sounding more depressed lately.
Guam
May 29, 2025 at 07:37 am
"........previous Packer malcontents have rarely ended up discovering that the grass was greener on the other side."
I have spent much of my life observing people in work environments and the above statement is true far beyond Packer land. Many malcontents seem to be unhappy no matter where they are or in what work environment they labor. They carry their unhappiness with them wherever they go.
That is why most employers, including NFL teams, tend to avoid hiring people with difficult work histories, even if that prospective employee is talented and fills a need. You are no more likely to fix a malcontent's problems than the last employer and you may bring larger problems into your work environment.
TKWorldWide
May 29, 2025 at 08:17 am
A buddy of mine was telling me about his sister in law complaining about her 3 kids’ teachers. So he said to her, “You’ve got 3 kids, ages 12, 9, and 7. Combined that makes a total of 14 teachers (give or take) that they’ve had. You’re telling me out of those 14, not ONE was good enough for any of your kids? Ever think maybe YOU’RE the problem?’
So now she doesn’t talk to him anymore, and he couldn’t be happier.
Same deal here. When the “problem” follows you everywhere, maybe it’s because the problem is YOU.
HawkPacker
May 29, 2025 at 08:17 am
Case in point being Cox our edge rusher/DE. He was a UDFA that the packers brought in and if he did not get along and play nice with others he was to get the boot! So far so good.
dobber
May 29, 2025 at 07:55 am
"Alexander gets to stay in a familiar environment where his skills are needed, and the Packers avoid taking a significant blow to their secondary"
We'll see how this restructure works out and how much he's available, but getting him off the 2026 cap as much as possible is probably a priority. A motivated and healthy JA means the Packers' gamble on the CB position in the draft is more likely to work out.
Alexander needs the Packers, too--if he wants all that guaranteed money, he was going to have to play somewhere in 2025, and play well, for probably way less than he wants just to show that he's worth the investment of the next contract. He'll be 29 in his 2026 season, so I don't know if he really has a clear picture of what he'll be worth on the open market.
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 08:43 am
Yep, Alexander is now open to a renegotiation for his contract to pay him his beloved $millions, maybe even a bit more (so he can "win" something) on an incentivized deal. He gets paid when he plays.
He is motivated by his paychecks...but even more so by the status of being recognized as one of the highest paid CBs on planet Earth. Ja discovered during the offseason teams will not pay top dollar for malcontent, part-time players. All his gold is in Green Bay and he wants it. His "top paid CB" status was in jeopardy and he seems to covet that.
He even said if the renegotiated deal is not agreed to by June mandatory OTAs he is still going to show up.
Attitude affects behavior. Coaches can manage behavior (external), but not attitude (internal)...that up to the individual. Alexander has "adjusted" his attitude and his behavior is now more reasonable.
NFLfan
May 29, 2025 at 08:14 am
Davante Adams is a great player, he has just been a horrible teams since the Packers. Gutekunst left Davante hanging for 8 months w/o a contract. That whole episode was mismanaged. Some fans will say GB finally offered him a comparable salary but it was @ the 11th hour and the damage was done.
I have more sympathy for Rodgers as I feel he was never really given a proper Defense. Other top QBs had good Defenses. Though he has taken it too far, I can sympathize. GB effectively wasted Rodger's talent, IMO.
I would say Green Bay has lost its luster since Davante and Rodgers left. There have been no real reliable receivers since DA left three years ago.-QB is still struggling, though is a nice person.
Though it will never happen, I would like to read a balanced article about Gutekunst's tenure and his impact on the team.
-Jaire Alexander does not have the same sympathy I have for Adams/Rodgers. He is the definition of a malcontent.
Leatherhead
May 29, 2025 at 08:20 am
Hey...do you remember that Adams specifically said he wanted to play for the Raiduhs?
Luster? Check out his performances in our playoff losses.
NFLfan
May 29, 2025 at 08:24 am
@LH-Give it a rest.
He chose an inferior team because he was mistreated by the Packers. Why don't you learn to read between the lines?
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 09:02 am
You can believe your narrative but LH is far more factual than you are. "Mistreated"? That's funny. I think you missed reading several lines to this story.
Adams cited Rodgers' long term future in Green Bay as a key component to his desire to "go home" to the West Coast and a change of scenery.
An even greater desire was to play with his college QB and best friend Raider Derek Carr (now retired after 3 terrible seasons of losing and injury). Adams even mused Carr could be just as good a QB as Rodgers, and had a longer career ahead of him and a better chance to win a SB. Adams WANTED to play with Carr and the Raiders.
And when it came out the Packers countered to pay him even more money than the Raiders, Adams said it wasn't about the money but a desire to play with Carr. Adams was so "mistreated" by the Packers they traded they him to the team and QB he wanted to go to.
Adams "green grass" vision turned out to be brown, burned up lawns. He chose wrong. It happens.
Guam
May 29, 2025 at 10:05 am
Thank you LP. Great rebuttal!
Bitternotsour
May 29, 2025 at 05:08 pm
Adams got paid. He played in the town he wanted to play in, with a friend. Both the Packers and Raiders seasons ended with less than the Super Bowl. Many people opt to work in locations that they prefer, whether for culture, weather, proximity to nightlife, family, whatever.
Adams got exactly what he hoped for. Like it or not, Green Bay is not a cultural capital, and the weather pretty much sucks. So what's the draw, all things being equal.
Professional athletes probably refine their job searches thusly:
1. The Money
2. The team.
3. The city and its advantages.
Leatherhead
May 29, 2025 at 09:07 am
Mistreated? How? By being signed to a 5 year, $140M contract and then traded to the team he wanted to play for?
You are delusional. That's fine. But don't vent your delusions on me.
Coldworld
May 29, 2025 at 09:20 am
@ NFL fan: total baloney
Bitternotsour
May 29, 2025 at 05:12 pm
People that treat that little annoyance as anything other than the pathetic troll they are, well, they're wasting time and energy.
13TimeChamps
May 29, 2025 at 11:23 am
"Between the lines" is where NFLfan loves to live. Lots of fun conspiracies she can make up in there.
Davante Adams made it clear that after 8 years of honoring his contracts and commitments to Green Bay, he wanted to play closer to home. Green Bay worked with him to get that done. No one was mistreated. Quite the opposite actually.
Because of your over-top-devotion to Rodgers, I won't even attempt to make any sense of that situation for you, except to mention that the last two teams he played for couldn't wait to get him out of their organizations.
dblbogey
May 29, 2025 at 08:37 pm
He asked to be traded. He wanted to play nearer to his hometown, and play with his good friend and college QB Carr. Packers offered him the same money, he chose to leave. Why the attitude and condescending tone?
WestCoastPackerBacker
May 29, 2025 at 04:53 pm
Green Bay has “lost its luster?” They didn’t even make the playoffs Rodgers last year but made it both of Love’s first two seasons. Their defense improved; they have a truly productive TE for the first time in a long time. And they were a top team in many offensive and defensive categories. Love played hurt and that affected the entire offense.
There wasn’t much luster left before this mini rebuild.
barutanseijin
May 29, 2025 at 05:37 pm
He had a good defense in 2014 & 2021. He didn’t get his job done on offense.
One of the all time overrated, always ready with an excuse , always ready to throw others under the bus. To hell with that guy.
Leatherhead
May 29, 2025 at 08:17 am
I haven't read or seen a single report that has any credibility that Alexander wants to be on this team. He wants to get paid whether he plays or not. That's what he wants.
I'm done with this guy and hope the Packers cut him loose.
crayzpackfan
May 29, 2025 at 08:43 am
Unless he agrees to a contract that is truly friendly to GB leaving them with a clean slate in 2026, I totally agree with you. I don't like spending tons of money on something I can only use 40-50 percent of the time.
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 09:24 am
Is this credible?
"Reporter Matt Schneidman says that Alexander “wants to remain in Green Bay,” the first clear reporting about what the cornerback’s preferred outcome would be.
Additionally, Schneidman’s sources say that Alexander plans to attend the Packers’ mandatory minicamp in June, even if he does not have a new contract settled."
Also reported is the Packers have offered him a revised K and it is revealing Alexander and his agent are negotiating.
Sadly, his major motivation is money and the status of being "one of the top paid NFL CBs". He now knows exiting the Packers jeopardizes this.
If he continues to get handsomely paid...only when he plays...and is not a locker room problem...it can be a win win. The odds now favor him playing for the Packers this season. We will see.
Leatherhead
May 29, 2025 at 10:08 am
I tend to believe what Schneidman reports. I think he's a credible guy. But what is he saying?
".....the first clear reporting".
This is clear? An anonymous source says Alexander would prefer to stay in Green Bay, but not under what conditions.
"Alexander wants to remain in Green Bay".
What does that mean? He'd prefer to stay here and collect his $16.1M? He'd prefer to stay here for less? He'd prefer to take any fair, incentive based contract restructure?
I need some clarification, because those are different things.
And "It's revealing that the Packers and Alexander's agents are negotiating"
What? What is revealing about this? JA is under contract. June 1 is rapidly approaching. The Packers don't want Alexander under the current terms of his contract and will probably release him instead. Alexander doesn't want to volunteer to possibly take less money to remain on the team. That has not changed since....forever.
The odds only favor him playing if he takes a pay cut. IMO, I wouldn't bet $16M dollars that this guy will stay healthy, play well, and not be a distraction. IMO, unless Alexander agrees to the Packers offer (less guaranteed, more incentives), then I think the odds favor that we'll just part company with him.
So...that's how credible I think this report is. It's Schneidman's anonymous sources saying some mostly vague stuff. One piece of concrete is that Alexander plans to attend the MANDATORY minicamp coming up, so that the fines don't start to cost him money. AT THAT POINT, if the Packers let him change his shoes at the facility and he falls over and hurts himself, they'll be on the hook.....again....for millions of dollars for a guy who can't play.
This is hurtling towards a resolution. Alexander is not going to be at that minicamp unless the Packers are protected. He'll agree to the Packer's proposal or he'll be gone. My prediction is that his love of money is greater than his love of the Packers.
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 10:49 am
Relax LH. This "change" in the situation was only reported this week!
If you don't believe the reports, fine. But you are speculating too and want to maintain the negative view. I do believe the positive view is also possible now. It is far from done and it may not get done...and it may.
I only am providing the information of a "credible report" you were seeking. Gil just published another here on CHTV.
Your last sentence I agree with. And his love of money and status as a top paid CB is better served in Green Bay, at least for 2025. He will get his money if he plays and if he has a good season playing most of the games, he will be even more valuable.
HawkPacker
May 29, 2025 at 08:22 am
You make a great point on Malcontents that leave GB.
On the other side of the fence is when GB does not resign younger players, as they have not looked as good as they should to receive a second contract, they go on to play well on other teams. It is surprising and a bit disappointing to see these players starting for other teams.
TXCHEESE
May 29, 2025 at 08:40 am
I can't count Adams as a malcontent. He had a desire to live out west and play with his old college team mate. It didn't work out and that was that. I will say with the Rams adding him, I believe they should be a team to really watch this season. Good young defense, veteran QB, and good offensive playmakers.
crayzpackfan
May 29, 2025 at 08:44 am
He's also still playing at a high level. Adams should be nowhere on this list.
Leatherhead
May 29, 2025 at 10:14 am
I never thought Adams was a malcontent. He made a career decision. He knew that most of Rodgers good football was behind him, and that if he wanted to be in the HOF, he needed a reliable guy to throw it to him. His old buddy, Carr. His hometown team, the Raiduhs. Why not?
It hasn't worked out for him as well as he would have liked, but he can still add to his HOF resume in the right situation.
Martellus Bennett.....this guy is not a good guy. He'd had run-ins with law enforcement and had worn out his welcome with 6 teams before we got him, and then as soon as Rodgers got hurt, he quit on the team. He was a malcontent before he got here, while he was here, and after he left. He's a malcontent human.
fireball
May 29, 2025 at 08:46 am
Wow. So now, seemingly from out of nowhere, Elgton Jenkins is a " malcontent "? And he wasn't even that good last year. . . at least not compared to his past. And he turns 30 this coming December. And the Packers should give him a better contract?
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 09:37 am
I do not believe Jenks is a "malcontent". With his move to center, he wants his current deal modified to increase his odds of being in Green Bay past the 2025 season. If you don't ask, you don't get. The fact he and the Packers are talking about this shows mutual respect. Jenkins wants to be a Packer.
BruceC1960
May 29, 2025 at 09:02 am
Charles Woodson was a pretty good malcontent.
Coldworld
May 29, 2025 at 09:23 am
The Packers never made him an offer. He left in free agency. We moved on too early. No malcontentedness on his part.
Coldworld
May 29, 2025 at 09:30 am
Most malcontents have enough status to be noticed. While some early picks can get to that point earlier, most are later in their careers when this happens. Often the trigger seems to be the approach of a third contract or being pushed by cheaper players. The reality is that most remembered malcontents become so at a point where the best years are behind them anyway (or most of them).
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 10:04 am
Martellus Bennett was the definition of a malcontent and also a con man. He lied about his muscle tear injuries and was able to hide them to get a 3 year $21 M deal with the Packers. Packers believed he was lying due to sidelining himself as he whined while sitting on the pine so they cut him.
He was also able to con the Patriots who claimed him off waivers...but soon the Pats discovered his undisclosed injuries and paid for his surgery while on injured reserve. He then retired. He is a self entitled, sneaky jerk.
One more player should have been on the list too...Z. Smith. Since he was cut by the Packers in 2022 after being an expensive locker room cancer who didn't play while nursing his bad back, he has been on 3 teams in 3 seasons. The Lions cut him after 2024 because he would not take a pay cut. He remains a free agent. He may still return to the Lions for less money. Alexander should find Z's story familiar.
LLCHESTY
May 29, 2025 at 10:10 am
Some serious stretching of truth in this article. Adams had some of his best seasons with the Raiders despite their quarterback disabilities and Sitton was a Pro Bowler his 1st year in Chicago.
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 11:02 am
The day after Sitton was cut, I was leaving Church and our Priest, who was a Bear fan saw me and gave me a big grin and said "did you hear the Bears just signed Sitton? Why did you guys cut him? But thank you!"
Father Tony enjoyed providing me frequent "Sitton Updates" that season. He enjoyed it too much.
I will not understand that cut. I know Sitton, a team leader, was getting too vocal in the locker room and it rubbed TT the wrong way and he acted too impulsively in my opinion.
LLCHESTY
May 29, 2025 at 11:24 am
The rumor was he made a racist remark in the locker room and they no longer wanted him on the team.
GregC
May 29, 2025 at 12:14 pm
Yes, Adams has made boatloads of money, played with the QBs of his choosing (Carr and Rodgers), and has continued to play at a very high level. He hasn't been on any good teams, but that was not his main priority. And now he gets to return to his home state AND play for a really good team. He has done quite well for himself.
NFLfan
May 29, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Adams is much more disappointed he did not play for a team as talented as he is.
He is too proud to admit it but my guess is he is not happy w/missing that boat.
GregC
May 29, 2025 at 01:06 pm
Yes, that has to be a big disappointment to a competitor like him. He's done well by every other measure, though. He wasn't really a malcontent anyway. The article would have been stronger if Adams was not mentioned.
MitchAnthony
May 29, 2025 at 10:27 am
A couple other posters got it correct. Bennett was not just a malcontent, he was a POS junk person long before he came to GB.
To this day I hate any mention of him ever being in GB.
LambeauPlain
May 29, 2025 at 11:06 am
Rodgers was very pleased when they signed Malcontent Marty. I wonder how much influence Rodgers had getting him to Green Bay. He loves playing General Manager. Did a great job with that impersonation with the Jets.
MitchAnthony
May 29, 2025 at 01:27 pm
Yup, I recall that as well. I've given Rodgers a lot of grace for a lot of things that others can be very critical of but I do feel that Bennett made Rodgers look like a chump during that time.
I don't know if he played a role in getting him to the team at all and once signed I don't know if all the talk was just what was expected - hey you got me a proven pass catcher - but it was after he arrived. Rodgers and other teammates were made to look foolish jumping on the Bennett bandwagon.
All the red flags were there and plenty of fans were scratching their heads. Bennett and his brother both were wearing out their welcome all across the NFL and sensible people were asking, why? Let's just hope GB learned a valuable lesson and never travels down that road again.
NFLfan
May 29, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Jaire, Bakhtiari, Rodgers--no one player should take up this much oxygen-let Jaire go and save numerous headaches.
fireball
May 29, 2025 at 02:43 pm
I like this thought.