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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

Travis Hunter, the electric NFL rookie and new Heisman Trophy winner, capped the spring by marrying his high school sweetheart and longtime girlfriend, Leanna Lenee, in the highly publicized union at The Barn at Faith Farms in Athens, late in May 2025. Social media chatter regarding Leanna’s past has swirled for months but Hunter never wavered. He stood by her faithfully, publicly championing her and highlighting the stability and joy that she had brought into his life. Their path, which took them from being teen sweethearts to newlyweds, has been filled with each other’s encouragement, joint victories, and a connection that’s only intensified under the limelight.

Every great love story needs to have a supporting cast, and in this instance, that would be Leanna’s brother, Kaden Sonnabend. Though Kaden is not as well-known as his celebrity brother-in-law, he’s a member of the Hunter-Lenee family clique. Following high school, Kaden moved to the college level, suiting up for the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Keydets football squad. As a freshman in 2022, he played as a starter TE with jersey number 14, though he did not get onto the field that first season. Off the pitch, Kaden is on social media, where he posts snapshots of his life, his religion, and backing for his family. More recently, Kaden himself broke news on social media when he posted a story about the shocking release of cornerback Jaire Alexander by the Green Bay Packers.

AIN’T NO WAY😦,” Kaden’s concise three-word caption reflected his disbelief. If you’re a Packers fan, you likely experienced that stomach drop when the news broke. Jaire Alexander was the MVP in Green Bay’s secondary. Selected in the first round in 2018, he came out of the gates strong with a solid rookie season. By 2020, he was a Pro Bowler and a Second-Team All-Pro, locking down receivers and making quarterbacks question themselves.

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In 2021, he injured his shoulder in Week 4, which kept him away for the rest of the regular season. He rebounded in 2022, played all the games, and won additional Pro Bowl and All-Pro accolades. That’s when the Packers signed him to a fat four-year, $84 million contract and made him one of the league’s highest-paid corners. In 2023, he played just 10 games, due to multiple injuries and a back issue,  and 10 more games in 2024. The Packers, under head coach Matt LaFleur, needed some salary cap flexibility, so they attempted to restructure Jaire’s deal this May. Essentially, they asked him to accept a pay reduction, even as he was going to earn more than $16 million next season. Jaire wasn’t ready to comply, and poof, the Packers decided to part ways and release him.

As Packers CEO Mark Murphy summed it up, “Well, first of all, he’s been a great player for us. Obviously, elite talent. Unfortunately, just injured a lot. Kinda unfortunately, that’s a big part of our game.” The past two years were brutal. Alexander was able to suit up for only seven games per year, and his numbers—two interceptions and 16 tackles in 2024—were a far cry from what fans had grown accustomed to.

Packer GM Brian Gutekunst shared the frustration that it was difficult not to have Jaire. “Again, there’s frustration on both sides by the fact that he can’t get out there, and that’s tough. I feel for him because he wants to be out there and he wants to play. But there is no disconnect.” It wasn’t about attitude or work ethic—it was mere bad luck and injuries mounting up at the worst moments.

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What’s your perspective on:

Did the Packers make a huge mistake letting Jaire Alexander go, or was it inevitable?

Have an interesting take?

Why Philly could be Jaire Alexander’s next stop

The NFL offseason just got a whole lot spicier due to Jaire Alexander’s sudden exit from the Green Bay Packers. According to reports, the Eagles have the salary cap space to make a splashy move, and Alexander fits the bill. Yes, Philly has a good cornerback unit already—Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Adoree’ Jackson, and Kelee Ringo, but come on: healthy Jaire Alexander is an elite player. He’s got the swagger, the shutdown coverage, and the playmaking skills to turn a good defense into an elite defense. If you’re an Eagles fan, you’re probably already dreaming up jersey edits and imagining Alexander locking down the NFC East’s best receivers.

Naturally, the large “if” is his health. The past two seasons have not been kind to Alexander, with injuries keeping him limited to seven games per season. But that’s precisely why he might be a value for the Eagles, a potential star at a discount, due to his recent injury history. The front office of Philly is known for making smart gambles on skilled players who require a new beginning, and Alexander may be the next one they place their bets on.

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So, will the Eagles make the move? Nothing is official, but the rumor is legit. Fans are already theorizing, insiders are making veiled references, and the NFC East just got a tad more interesting. If Alexander winds up in Philly and remains healthy, the Eagles’ secondary might be flat-out intimidating.

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Did the Packers make a huge mistake letting Jaire Alexander go, or was it inevitable?

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