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Rob Demovsky, ESPN writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers do not expect to be without cornerback Jaire Alexander for the rest of the season, coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday.
That ended a more than two-month saga in which the former All-Pro attempted to recover from what he said was a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He suffered the injury on October 27 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but was not placed on injured reserve because the team thought it was a short-term injury.
LaFleur said Alexander underwent surgery and was “most likely” ready for the rest of the season. A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the only hope for Alexander to return would be if the Packers reached the Super Bowl. A source said the surgery Alexander underwent on Tuesday was arthroscopic in nature and therefore was not a major reconstructive procedure.
“It’s unfortunate,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “It is what it is. I feel for him. Obviously, he was trying to fix his knee, but it wasn’t right, so, yeah, it’s a tough deal for all of us.”
Alexander missed the game immediately after the injury, but returned after the Packers’ bye week to play briefly on November 17 against the Chicago Bears. However, he played only 10 snaps in that game before retiring. He has not played since, although he had been practicing for several weeks, sometimes even as a full participant, only to be ruled out each week.
Asked Monday if there was a difference of opinion between how Alexander views his injury and how the team and his doctors view it, LaFleur said: “I can’t really get into all that. I know he’s been dealing with swelling.” , and, you know, it doesn’t feel good to go out and play.”
Alexander, an All-Pro in 2020 and 2022, has played just 14 regular-season games over the past two seasons. Since the start of the 2021 season, when he appeared in just four regular-season games due to a shoulder injury, he has played in just 34 of a possible 68 regular-season games, including Sunday’s finale against the Bears. One of those missed games was to serve a suspension last season for conduct detrimental to the team.
In seven games this season, Alexander has two interceptions, including a pick-six in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans.
The Packers are expected to continue with the trio of Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes as their top three cornerbacks. Valentine has had an interception in two of the last three games.
“I’ve been here with Ja, so I saw him my rookie year with a shoulder in Week 4 against the Steelers,” Stokes said. “And after that, it’s just little trinkets. I know how much he wants to be out there. The moment I found out, I was like, ‘Damn.’ I texted him, ‘I know how you feel. I know what ‘What kind of player you are. I know you really want to be there for us,’ and that whole thing told me, ‘Anything you need help with, just hit me up.’ “To still have him there is tremendous.”
Alexander, a first-round pick in 2018, may have played his last football with the Packers. He still has two years left on the four-year, $84 million contract extension he signed in 2022, but with no guaranteed money in the deal, the Packers could decide to let him go. If he’s on the team, he’s scheduled to make $17.5 million next season and $19.5 million in 2026.
While LaFleur said he intends to treat Sunday’s game against the Bears like any other, even though the Packers (11-5) have already clinched a playoff spot and all that remains to be determined is whether They will be number 6 or number 7 in the NFC. As the favorite, he said Wednesday that he will “keep an eye on every situation and the guys that are dealing with those things.”
Those who did not practice Wednesday included these starters or key contributors: safety Zayne Anderson (concussion), defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. (foot), receiver Christian Watson (knee), linebacker Quay Walker (ankle) and safety Evan Williams (quadriceps). .
