Paul Bretl | 11/21/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers cornerback depth will continue to be tested as Jaire Alexander navigates a knee injury that he’s been working through.
Late in the Packers’ matchup with Jacksonville, Alexander landed awkwardly, suffering the knee injury. The specific injury that he’s working through hasn’t been reported, but the Packers didn’t believe it was long-term. After missing the Detroit game and then having the bye week, Alexander attempted to play on a pinch count, however, he exited early with his knee not responding how he had hoped.
“That’s always a risk,” said Matt LaFleur of activating a player when unsure about an injury. “I knew that going into it. He was on a pitch count regardless, and those other guys were well aware that they were going to have to play. But we just felt like it was better to have him for a limited period. Now, we were hoping we could get through it and keep him on a pitch count and then pull him. It didn’t work out that way.”
With Alexander available versus not having him, there’s a very different feel to this Packers’ cornerback room. We all know the caliber of player that he is and so, of course, there’s a void when Alexander is sidelined. In seven games this season, Alexander is allowing a completion rate of 56 percent with two interceptions and three pass breakups.
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Beyond Alexander’s individual performances, his presence on the field can alter the gameplan, specifically what other defenders are asked to do. For example, with the confidence that the team has in Alexander to handle one-on-one matchups, that could free up Xavier McKinney with additional freedom to roam the field or provide help elsewhere.
“A lot better,” said McKinney of the Packers’ defense with Alexander. “Obviously, he adds a lot to our team, he adds a lot to our defense. But we understand he’s injured, so he’s going to do the things that he has to do to try to get back, and then the guys that are behind him are always going to have to be prepared.”
Without Alexander, however, the depth of this cornerback room, which the Packers still very much believe in, does seem to come into question. Keisean Nixon continues to start on the boundary as he has when Alexander is out there, but last week we saw a change with Carrington Valentine dominating the defensive snaps, while Eric Stokes was on the sidelines.
On the season, Valentine has allowed six completions on eight targets but has limited opponents to 11.2 yards per catch with a pass breakup. The Packers did seem to be encouraged by his play against Chicago, and continued to speak to the confidence they have in him, although up until recently, Valentine was stuck behind Stokes on the depth chart.
“I think he did a nice job,” said LaFleur of Valentine. “I thought there were a couple of instances where he was able to cracker plays and make some tackles. And so we’re excited about him, and I think he’s got a huge upside.”
With Nixon, it is a similar story–he’s giving up completions on 66 percent of his targets but has a few pass breakups and is holding pass-catchers to under 10 yards per reception. Overall, this is a Packers secondary that hasn’t given up many downfield plays this season, but with the cornerbacks surrendering relatively high completion rates, even at nine or 10 yards per catch, that’s enough to pick up a first down and keep the drive going for the opposing offense.
While I don’t believe that the cornerback position is a big red flag without Alexander, this does seem to become a position that is, at the very least, vulnerable.
“I’ve been saying this from the very jump,” added McKinney, “everybody has to be on their P’s and Q’s because you never know when you’re going to get called. I think our guys here have done a great job of making sure that they’re always ready, and I think it’s shown a lot about our unit as a secondary and a lot about our team.”
Alexander did not practice on Wednesday, and as he often does, LaFleur said they will see how he progresses through the week and make a decision about his availability for Sunday from there.
Awaiting the Packers this week is the high-powered and unpredictable San Francisco 49ers’ offense. Coming off of their performance in Chicago, the Green Bay defense has a lot to clean up and that task becomes all the more challenging if they are without Alexander.
“You’re talking about an elite player at his position,” LaFleur said of Alexander. “So it definitely is tough when, when he’s not out there, but that is for, that’s, that’s the case for a lot of teams in this league, missing players, and you’ve got to have the next guy step up, be ready to go, and can never let that standard slip.”