Tag: jaire alexander

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said his team could afford to keep Jaire Alexander but gave no firm indication of whether or not the Packers will end up retaining the injury-plagued cornerback on the roster for the 2025 season.

Alexander, who turns 28 next month, missed 10 regular season games during each of the last two seasons, including the final seven games of the 2024 season after he injured his knee in late October. Aging, expensive and oft-injured players always have uncertain futures when it comes to salary-capped professional football.

In his season-ending press conference on Thursday, Gutekunst said the Packers are still gathering information on how they want to proceed in 2025 but expressed a mix of sympathy and frustration on how injuries have wrecked Alexander’s last two seasons.

“Yeah, we’ll work through that,” Gutekunst said. “We certainly can (keep Alexander). I know it’s been really, really frustrating, not only for him as a player but for us as a club, when you have a player who has done what he’s done for us in the past, and then not being able to get him on the field consistently, that’s tough on the player, tough on the organization. We’re at the beginning stages of gathering information, as a whole, before we start looking at next year. We could. When he’s healthy and ready to play, he’s a pretty good player.”

Alexander has dealt with injuries to his shoulder, back, groin and knee injuries since the start of the 2021 season. Out of a possible 68 regular season since over the last four seasons, Alexander has been available for only 34.

A two-time All-Pro, Alexander is under contract for the next two seasons, but his cap number rises to almost $25 million in 2025. The Packers could get out of the deal and save money on the cap while still incurring a sizeable dead money cap hit — of $18 million — next year.

Gutekunst dismissed any idea that there is a disconnect between Alexander and the Packers, even after Alexander openly questioned if he’d be back in Green Bay for 2025 during locker cleanout day this week.

“No,” Gutekunst said. “Again, there’s frustration on both sides from the fact that he can’t get out there. That’s tough. I feel for him. He wants to be out there, he wants to play. But no, no disconnect.”

Alexander has no more guaranteed money left in his deal. His non-guaranteed base salary is over $16 million in 2025 and and over $18 million in 2026, but the Packers still have over $18 million of prorated signing bonuses to count against the salary cap from Alexander’s deal, which was worth $84 million over four years when signed in 2022.

After an injury-riddled season and with looming financial hurdles, many Packers fans doubt whether corner Jaire Alexander will be back with the team next season. As it turns out, the 27-year-old corner carrying a cap hit exceeding $25 million in 2025 isn’t even sure himself.

According to Kelly Hallinan of NBC26 in Green Bay, Alexander declined to speak to the media while clearing out his locker on Monday, adding that he didn’t have anything good to say, so he definitely wasn’t going to talk.

When Jaire Alexander was asked to speak with the media at locker room cleanout, he declined, saying he doesn’t even know if he is going to be here next year.

Said he didn’t have anything good to say so definitely wasn’t going to talk.

— Kelly Hallinan (@kellyhals) January 13, 2025

This is certainly not a good sign for Alexander’s future with the Packers.

Alexander is on injured reserve and did not play in Sunday’s wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers were without their top corner for the final seven games of the regular season due to a sprained PCL sustained in their Oct. 28 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He attempted a return after the bye week but re-aggravated the injury just 10 snaps into the Nov. 17 game against the Chicago Bears.

The Packers placed Alexander on injured reserve on Jan. 4, effectively ending his season.

Alexander, who in 2022 signed a record-setting deal that made him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history at the time, has missed 21 games over the last two seasons, including playoffs. Last season, Green Bay disciplined him for participating in the coin toss before a Week 16 matchup against the Carolina Panthers despite not being designated as a captain. Alexander was suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.

Injuries, Alexander’s contract, and questionable behavior have made him a potential cut or trade candidate.

A two-time All-Pro and Pro-Bowler, corners with Alexander’s talent are hard to come by. However, the reality is that it could be in the Packers’ best interest to part ways with a player who hasn’t lived up to the contract he was given.

Even if Alexander returns next season, the corner position should be a priority for Green Bay during the offseason. Fortunately, they are projected to have a healthy amount of cap space to spend on free agents and a full complement of draft picks.

As the Packers prepare for the 2025 offseason, it could make sense for Alexander and the team to part ways so both sides can get a fresh start.

The Green Bay Packers placed cornerback Jaire Alexander on injured reserve on Saturday following a surgery on Alexander’s injured knee earlier this week. The two-time All-Pro cornerback — who will miss his 10th game of the season on Sunday — must sit at least four games before he’s eligible to return.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Alexander could return for the Super Bowl if the Packers advance that far. Alexander would miss Sunday’s regular season finale, plus the wildcard, divisional and conference championship games in the postseason.

Alexander suffered a sprained PCL late in the Packers’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 28. He attempted to return coming out of the bye week on Nov. 17 but aggravated the injury after only 10 snaps against the Chicago Bears and hasn’t played since.

Alexander appeared in only seven games for the Packers in 2024. He intercepted two passes and defended seven total passes — including at least one pass breakup or interception in five of his first six games.

The Packers did not immediately fill Alexander’s roster spot. Green Bay elevated two players from the practice squad — linebacker Michael Barrett and safety Omar Brown — to the gameday roster for Week 18.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander had arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee and is likely to miss the rest of the 2024 season, although Adam Schefter of ESPN reports Alexander could possibly return if the Packers make the Super Bowl in February.

Alexander injured his PCL while leaping in the end zone during the Packers’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 28. He attempted to return coming out of the bye against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 17 but aggravated the injury after playing only 10 snaps and hasn’t been available since.

Per Schefter, Alexander needed surgery to help pain and swelling in the knee. The two-time All-Pro has practiced — sometimes in a full capacity — over the last few weeks but the knee hasn’t responded.

Coach Matt LaFleur confirmed the surgery on Wednesday.

“Ja, most likely, is going to be done for the rest of the year,” LaFleur said. “It’s unfortunate. It is what it is. I feel for him. He was trying to get his knee right, and it wasn’t getting right. It’s a tough deal for all of us.”

Losing Alexander is a big blow to the Packers’ Super Bowl hopes.

According to Next Gen Stats, the Packers allowed a completion percentage of 61.0 and a passer rating of 77.3 with Alexander on the field this season, but those numbers shoot up to 70.0 percent and 95.3 passer rating without Alexander in 2024.

Since Alexander’s injury, the Packers have used Keisean Nixon, Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine on the outside with combinations of Nixon and rookie Javon Bullard inside in the slot.

Alexander will miss his 20th game over the last two seasons. He was available for only seven games in 2023 and have played only seven games in 2024.

Alexander has no guaranteed money left on his current deal. His cap hit in 2025 is scheduled to be almost $25.5 million.

The Green Bay Packers can’t say if cornerback Jaire Alexander will play again this season, and that’s a concerning development as postseason play nears for Matt LaFleur’s team.

The numbers from Next Gen Stats paint a fairly clear picture on the Packers pass defense with and without No. 23.

When Alexander is on the field this season, the Packers have allowed seven touchdown passes and intercepted eight passes while giving up a 61.0 completion percentage and a 77.5 passer rating. The completion percentage would rank second best among all teams; the passer rating would be the best in the NFL by almost five points. Basically, the Packers were an elite passing defense with Alexander.

However, when Alexander isn’t on the field, the Packers have allowed 15 touchdown passes and intercepted eight passes while giving up a 70.0 completion percentage and a 95.3 passer rating. The completion percentage would be the worst in the NFL; the passer rating would rank 23rd. Put another way, this is one of the worst passing defenses without Alexander.

Alexander, who injured his knee on Oct. 28, has played in only seven games. He’s missed six straight games and seven of the last eight, and he’s been on the field for only 10 snaps since originally suffering the injury in Week 8 in Jacksonville.

During his six appearances pre-injury, Alexander intercepted a pair of passes — including a pick-six in Tennessee — and defended five other passes.

Not having Alexander available has forced Jeff Hafley and the Packers to get creative with personnel and coverages. Keisean Nixon has played more on the perimeter. Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine have become full-time players. Rookie defensive back Javon Bullard has moved from safety to slot and back again based on other injuries.

Without his best corner, Hafley has been forced to be less aggressive in coverage and play more zone, especially two-high.

Both Jared Goff and Sam Darnold have shredded the Packers pass defense without Alexander this season. Just know that Sam Howell and Spencer Rattler aren’t walking through that door come postseason time.

Big questions remain. Will Alexander play again this season, and would he be effective after a long layoff with a significant knee injury? And if Alexander doesn’t return, will the Packers be competitive enough as a pass defense to survive in the NFC playoffs?

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur didn’t know if cornerback Jaire Alexander would play again this season but did reveal that his injured defender is dealing with swelling in his knee.

Alexander first injured his knee late in the Packers’ Oct. 28 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he suffered an aggravation of the injury while facing the Chicago Bears on Nov. 17. The injury is believed to be a tear in his PCL.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” LaFleur said when asked if Alexander would play again this season. “As soon as I know, I’ll let you guys know.”

LaFleur declined to say if there was a disagreement between the team and player on the injury but did say swelling is a primary concern.

“I can’t really get into all that,” LaFleur said. “I do know that he’s been dealing with swelling and you know, he doesn’t feel right to go out there and play.”

Alexander has missed the last six games and has played only 10 total snaps since suffering the injury in Week 8.

Alexander’s practice participation has deepened the mystery. He’s been available as a full participant at times in the last couple of weeks but either hasn’t felt physically ready to return or didn’t show the Packers he was physically capable of playing in a game.

Without Alexander in the lineup, the Packers have rotated Keisean Nixon, Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine on the perimeter and Nixon and rookie Javon Bullard in the slot.

Swelling in the knee at this point in his recovery might suggest Alexander is a long shot to return this season. Can the Packers make a deep playoff run in the offense-rich NFC without their No. 1 cornerback?

The Green Bay Packers will be without cornerback Jaire Alexander for the fifth straight game and sixth game out of the last seven when he’s made inactive on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Alexander practiced fully on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week but still doesn’t feel like “himself,” per Pelissero. The Packers listed Alexander as questionable this week.

The two-time All-Pro first injured a ligament in his knee on Oct. 27 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He attempted to return coming out of the bye on Nov. 17 but suffered an aggravation of the injury after 10 snaps in Chicago and has missed the last four games.

Without Alexander and rookie defensive back Javon Bullard, who is out with an ankle injury, the Packers will likely play Keisean Nixon in the slot and Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes on the perimeter against the Saints on Monday night.

Alexander, who turns 28 next February, has played in only seven games this season.

When Monday night ends, another week of guessing on Alexander’s status awaits.

The Packers face the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29. Can Alexander get through another week of practice and feel physically able to return against Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison next week?

The postseason is quickly approaching, and the Packers are one win away from clinching. It’d be understandable to wonder if Alexander will return at all during the regular season.