Was Packers CB Jaire Alexander’s Instagram Post a Goodbye to Packers?
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Cornerback Jaire Alexander on Tuesday posted to Instagram a “thank you” photo montage “for 6 years” with the Green Bay Packers.
After a troubling season in Green Bay filled with injuries and a suspension, was there some sort of deeper meaning to the post or was it nothing more than Alexander saying thank you?
Contrary to some reporting, there is no reason for Packers fans to be alarmed that their star cornerback wants out, two sources said.
That’s in line with what coach Matt LaFleur said during Monday’s season-ending news conference, when he was asked how Alexander handled the suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” following the bizarre coin-toss incident at Carolina.
“I thought he responded,” LaFleur said. “He did an outstanding job. Whether it’s football or life, sometimes you go through some hardship and you’re better for it. I think Ja would sit here and tell you [the same thing]. We had a great conversation a minute ago, as tough as that was, really on everybody here.
“I do think our level of communication will be so much clearer and consistent. I think there is a lot of good that actually came out of that. It was tough. It was tough on him, tough on me, tough on our team. But I love how he responded. And that’s life.”
After being suspended for the Week 17 win at the Vikings, Alexander played well in the playoff-clinching victory against Chicago in Week 18. He turned an ankle at practice the following week but rehabbed his way into the starting lineup for the wild-card game at Dallas and had a pick-six before aggravating the injury again. Alexander went the distance in the playoff loss against San Francisco.
According to Pro Football Focus and its best reckoning of coverage responsibilities, Alexander gave up two completions for 12 yards against the 49ers.
The Packers need Alexander if they’re going to take the next step as a defense and as a team. With the midseason trade of Rasul Douglas and a disastrous third season for Eric Stokes, the Packers probably need to upgrade their cornerback room, anyway.
Alexander’s contract would make a trade difficult from Green Bay’s perspective. Including a $6.65 million base salary and an $8 million roster bonus, his cap number is a whopping $27.446 million, according to OverTheCap.com. Trading him would actually add another $3.474 million to the ledger.
In seven regular-season games, Alexander had zero interceptions and five passes defensed – down sharply from his career-high five interceptions and second-best 14 passes defensed in 2022, when he was second-team All-Pro. The interception against the Dallas was his third in seven career playoff games.
When adversity hits, LaFleur said, “You’ve got two choices: You can either go in the tank or you can try to learn and grow and be better for it. And I think he certainly has taken that approach.”
