Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander has had a crazy season and it got even more intense this week.Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Alexander injured his ankle during the team’s running practice Wednesday.
“It was a crazy trade yesterday,” LaFleur said, via Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers’ official website. “Most times we were running, he would step on someone’s foot and twist their ankle. He does his best to be available. “I’ll say that every day.”Injuries and an unexpected suspension (suspended by the Packers) have limited Alexander to seven games this season after entering the coin toss without being named a team captain.
While on the field, he recorded 27 tackles, one forced fumble and five passes defensed.”It was a crazy deal,” LaFleur added. “He was focused, locked in, did everything we asked him to do and it just happened.”It’s big news for Green Bay, which faces one of the NFL’s most potent offenses against the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Sunday.When healthy, Alexander is one of the best defenders in football.
Last year, he made his second Pro Bowl after recording 56 tackles, 5 interceptions and 14 passes defensed. The 26-year-old, who played college football at Louisville, was selected by the Packers with the 18th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
He made the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2020 after recording 51 tackles, a sack, a pick, a forced fumble and 13 passes defensed.Injuries are nothing new to Jair Alexander as he has only played full-time in one of his six seasons. In 2021, attendance at 4 games was also limited.Green Bay went 9-8 this season and clinched the last wild card spot in the NFC.
