Getty Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
The Green Bay Packers have new reasons to be concerned about star cornerback Jaire Alexander’s health heading into the first week of the 2023 NFL playoffs.
Alexander did not practice in Thursday’s second session of the week for the Packers, but not because of the shoulder injury that has given him trouble for the past several weeks. Instead, Alexander has a new ankle injury that head coach Matt LaFleur described as a “freak deal” that happened in Wednesday’s practice. They consider him “day-to-day.”
“So it was kind of a freak deal yesterday because you guys saw we mostly had a jog-through and just unfortunately stepped on somebody’s foot and rolled his ankle,” LaFleur told reporters on January 11 after practice. “So I know he’s doing everything he can to be available and I’d say it’s day-to-day, but we thought it was best obviously today to have him not practice.”
A new injury for Alexander is less than ideal for the Packers as they prepare for their tough playoff draw against the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round this weekend. In fairness, though, his absence would not be an unfamiliar challenge after he played just seven of 17 regular-season games in 2023 due to injuries (and a one-game suspension).
Still, Alexander — a second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2022 — has been the Packers’ top cornerback when he has been on the field and would be valuable in helping them try to slow down Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Fortunately, Green Bay has one more practice on Friday to test out Alexander’s ankle before heading into the weekend.
The Packers will kick off their return to the playoffs at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, January 14, when they take on the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Jaire Alexander’s Injury Could Shuffle CB Room (Again)
If Jaire Alexander is unable to play against the Cowboys, the Packers will be forced to throw their younger and less experienced cornerbacks into the fire once again in the most pressure-filled moment of the entire year. The good news? Those cornerbacks got quite a bit of playing time in 2023 while the cornerback room was in constant flux.
The Packers have seen their plans for their cornerback position completely unravel over the past several months. Alexander, the NFL’s highest-paid at his position, missed 10 of 17 regular-season games. Eric Stokes, their 2021 first-round pick, played just 110 total defensive snaps and had three different stints on injury lists. And Rasul Douglas ended up getting shipped to Buffalo for a third-round pick just before November began.
As a result, the Packers frequently ran with Corey Ballentine (488 snaps) and seventh-round rookie Carrington Valentine (694 snaps) as their two boundary corners in 2023 with Keisean Nixon (808 snaps) in the slot. They would most likely be the Packers’ starting trio against the Cowboys, too, if Alexander could not go on Sunday afternoon.
AJ Dillon Also in Jeopardy of Missing Cowboys Game
The Packers are generally improving in terms of their injuries. They have several players who remain limited participants in practice, including Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Jones, Isaiah McDuffie and Romeo Doubs, but they have fewer “Did Not Participate” designations on the injury report than in the closing weeks of the regular season.
Unfortunately, the Packers might have to prepare to play their first playoff game without running back AJ Dillon after he missed a second straight practice on Thursday.
Dillon did not play in the Packers’ regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears due to thumb and neck injuries and is still working through those issues with the rehab group at practice trying to get back to full strength. Like Alexander, Dillon will have one more day to clear his medical hurdles, but it is unclear how close he is to returning.
The Packers ran the ball 22 times for 111 yards with Jones against the Bears and did not have another running back carry the ball in the 17-9 victory, but they may want to put together a better backup plan against Dallas with Jones still nursing a pair of injuries.