Cornerback Jaire Alexander was questionable but played against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. However, it didn’t last long. The All-Pro defensive player left the game early, still in the first half, because his knee was hurting.
Good news for Green Bay, it’s not a long-term issue according to NFL Network’s insider Ian Rapoport.
During the game, Alexander was on a limited snapcount— playing primarily in dime package and some nickel. Right after halftime, he was ruled out.
Jaire Alexander got injured against the Jacksonville Jaguars three weeks ago. He missed the Detroit Lions game before the bye because of it, but was able to practice on a limited basis throughout this week.
Without Alexander, the Packers were forced to play Carrington Valentine alongside Keisean Nixon as the boundary corner, with Javon Bullard in the slot. Against the Lions the problem was more impactful because safety Evan Williams couldn’t play either, so Green Bay had to move Bullard to deep safety and Nixon to the slot, playing Eric Stokes on the outside.
It’s still unclear at this point if Jaire Alexander will be healthy enough to play against the San Francisco 49ers next week. But if it’s a continuation of what Alexander was handling and there is no aggravation, it’s fair to think that the star player has a real shot.
Jaire Alexander has missed three games this year — two because of a groin injury earlier in the year, and one because of the knee issue. Over the last few years, missing games has been a frequent theme for the Packers — and that’s one of the reasons why the Packers will probably get to the offseason with cornerback as a needy position.