Packers, Alexander agree to $84M deal

Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander has agreed to terms on a four-year, $84 million contract extension with a $30 million signing bonus, a person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the extension hasn’t been announced. ESPN first reported the deal.

Alexander, 25, was a second-team selection in All-Pro voting in 2020 but played just four games last season before getting sidelined by an injured right shoulder. Alexander returned to play in the Packers’ 1310 NFC divisional playoff loss to the 49ers.

He led the Packers in passes defensed each of his first three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and was an alternate in 2019.

BILLS LEGENDS OFFER

SUPPORT » Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas tells The Associated Press he and several former teammates are coming together in Buffalo this week to help support families of the shooting victims. Among those players expected to make the trip are Hall of Famers defensive end Bruce Smith and receiver Andre Reed, along with Thomas and Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, who like Thomas lives in the area. “Those guys said right away, `We’ll be here this week because that’s our city. We love it and we want to be supportive,`” Thomas said.

MLB YANKEES PITCHER DEACTIVATES

TWITTER

Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes said he deactivated his Twitter account after screenshots surfaced Sunday of tweets from a decade ago that included racial slurs.

Cortes appeared to be quoting rap lyrics in at least some of the tweets, and he did not seem to be using the words to demean anyone directly.

“I felt like it wasn’t the right message that I wanted to send out, when I was 17 years old,” Cortes said.

ROYALS FIRE HITTING

COACH » The Royals fired hitting coach Terry Bradshaw and promoted Alex Zumwalt to fill his role in a shakeup of the coaching staff that they hope will wake up one of the worst offenses in the majors this season. The Royals have scored 118 runs through their first 32 games, better only than the Tigers, Orioles and White Sox, and their 21 home runs trail only the Tigers and Red Sox for the worst total in the big leagues.

Soccer

CHELSEA SALE YET TO BE OK’D » The British government has yet to approve the sale of Premier League club Chelsea to a consortium fronted by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly. Outgoing Russian owner Roman Abramovich is not allowed to profit from the proceeds of the sale since he was sanctioned and his assets were frozen for his links to President Vladimir Putin after the invasion of Ukraine. An update to the license allowing Chelsea to continue operating as a business is required from the government to approve the buyout. The club was put up for sale in March and a rapid process ended with Boehly’s group being chosen as the new owner on May 6.