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?