Will Jaire Alexander, Davante Adams Play on Monday Night?
Note: A source told Packer Central that Jaire Alexander will play on Monday night. So will Davante Adams. Here is the breaking news to update this story from Saturday.
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will face the Las Vegas Raiders in a big Monday night battle. The battle within that battle will match Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander vs. Raiders receiver Davante Adams.
Both of the All-Pros are questionable on Saturday’s injury report.
Will they play?
Is a Green Bay winter cold? Is desert air hot?
Alexander missed the last two games with a back injury. The expectation is he would be ready for the primetime showdown. He was a limited participant at every practice this week.
“I think he did everything we asked him to do,” coach Matt LaFleur said after Saturday’s practice. “We’ll see how he’s feeling on Monday night.”
Really, the only thing standing in Alexander’s way is the flight to Las Vegas. So long as he feels good when he wakes up on Monday morning, he’ll be in the lineup.
Adams sustained a shoulder injury during the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Chargers. He returned after a brief absence and played 63 snaps, his second-highest total of the season.
Adams didn’t practice on Thursday or Friday and was limited participation on Saturday. There’s little doubt he’ll be in the lineup.
“It's getting better every day,” Adams said this week. “I've got to keep working at it.”
Davante Adams is questionable for Monday night against the Packers.
Photo by Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports Images
The Packers traded Adams to the Raiders before the 2022 NFL Draft after a prolific run in which he led the NFL in receiving touchdowns and yards per game in 2020, set a franchise record for receptions in 2021 and was selected to five consecutive Pro Bowl teams. With the Raiders in 2022, he caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns en route to another Pro Bowl and his second All-Pro team.
This season, he’s caught 33 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks second in the league in targets, third in receptions, ninth in yards and fourth in touchdowns.
Alexander said it’s “pretty evident” that Adams is “the best” receiver in the NFL. Having seen each other countless times on the practice field, especially when Alexander was early in his career, should be helpful.
“I got that advantage, for sure. Most def, most def, I’ve got that advantage,” Alexander said. “I’ve seen everything I needed to see.”
Knowing Alexander, there was probably some tongue-in-cheek to that comment, just like when he said Adams “quivered” at the thought of having to go against Alexander during their training camps.
After allowing sub-50 percent completion rates in 2019, 2020 and 2021, according to Sports Info Solutions, Alexander intercepted a career-high five passes last season. He dropped a potential pick-six in the Week 2 loss to Atlanta.
Alexander is one of 18 players who were on the roster during Adams’ final season in Green Bay.
“It’s still connection because it’s not really about the players,” Adams said this week. “I’m not bonding with the guys while I’m out there. It’s more about the organization and the uniform, seeing that, because I don’t know how many more times in my career – and it definitely hasn’t happened to this point – where I’ll be able to line up across from somebody with the green and gold on. That’ll take some adjusting, getting used to that, but for the most part it’ll be just another game.”
Packers Final Injury Report
Out: S Zayne Anderson (hamstring), LB De’Vondre Campbell (ankle).
Questionable: S Rudy Ford (oblique), CB Eric Stokes (foot), CB Jaire Alexander (back), RB Aaron Jones (hamstring).
Raiders Final Injury Report
Out: CB Nate Hobbs (ankle).
Questionable: WR Davante Adams (shoulder), CB Jakorian Bennett (hamstring/shoulder), David Long (ankle).
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