GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers will likely navigate their playoff journey without the services of Jaire Alexander, their two-time Pro Bowl cornerback. On Wednesday, head coach Matt LaFleur announced that Alexander is scheduled for surgery to address a knee injury that has sidelined him for much of the past two months. LaFleur expressed that, “Most likely, he’s going to be done for the rest of the year.”
The knee issue first caused Alexander to miss a 24-14 defeat against the Detroit Lions on November 3. After a bye week, he managed to return for a game against the Bears but could only participate for 10 defensive plays before exiting that contest, which ended in a 20-19 win for the Packers. Since that game, he has been unavailable for the past six outings and is not expected to return this season.
LaFleur acknowledged the disappointment of the situation, stating, “It stinks that we’re here, but we’re here.” The absence of Alexander poses a significant challenge for the Packers as they aim for a Super Bowl appearance as a wild card team. Currently, the Packers hold the NFC’s No. 7 seed with a record of 11-5, meaning they would start the postseason on the road against the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles (13-3). However, there is a potential path to the No. 6 seed if they can secure a victory against the Chicago Bears (4-12) at home this Sunday while hoping for a Washington Commanders loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Packers find themselves ranked 17th in the NFL in terms of passing yards allowed per game, a fact that became evident during their recent game against the Vikings, in which they permitted quarterback Sam Darnold to throw for a career-high 377 yards, leading to a close 27-25 loss. Despite this setback, the team remains hopeful about their chances in the playoffs with the depth in their defensive backfield.
“I have full trust in the guys in our room,” claimed safety Xavier McKinney. “I’ve been saying for a long time. We have a lot of talented guys, a lot of guys who are smart and can adjust on the fly. I feel good about our group. Obviously, we have guys who are being called upon each week. I feel really good about this group and what we have.”
In light of Alexander’s injury, players like Carrington Valentine, a seventh-round draft pick this year, and 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes are seeing increased playing time. Valentine notably played every defensive snap against Minnesota and has recorded his second interception in three games.
“It’s really next-man-up mentality,” Valentine commented on the team’s approach. “We’re always going to go out there and compete and just put our best foot forward.”
Jaire Alexander, aged 27, has established himself as one of the premier cover corners in the league but has faced significant injury struggles recently, having appeared in only 34 regular-season games over the last four seasons. His challenges included just four appearances in 2021 due to a shoulder injury and a limited role over the past two seasons because of various ailments. This season alone, he missed games due to a groin issue before the latest knee complication arose.
“I know how badly he wants to be out there,” said Stokes in reference to Alexander. He expressed his sentiments upon hearing the news, sharing, “The moment I found out, I was just like, ‘Dang.’ I sent him a text. ‘I know how you feel. I know what type of player you are. I know you really want to be out there for us,’ and all that stuff. He said, ‘Anything y’all need help with, just hit me. I’m going to be there.’”
