People who crave an epic wide receiver vs. cornerback matchup would dial in on a CeeDee Lamb and Jaire Alexander battle in a heartbeat.
The Dallas Cowboys star wideout is ready to go. Unfortunately, the standout defender on the side of the Green Bay Packers has his status pending.
Details on If Jaire Alexander Will Suit Up for Green Bay
Update 01/14/2024: Jaire Alexander is officially active for the Packers game against the Cowboys.
The All-Pro cornerback was listed as questionable ahead of Sunday’s Wild Card contest at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
That was on Friday, per head coach Matt LaFleur’s remarks to the media. Two days earlier, Alexander suffered what LaFleur called a “freak” ankle roll during practice.
While Alexander is currently listed as “questionable,” LaFleur believes he’ll know more about his cornerback’s status before kickoff at the Cowboys’ home venue.
“We’re just trying to give him up to game time to figure it out. He will legitimately be a game-time decision,” LaFleur told reporters.
Looking at Who the Packers Could Turn to If Alexander Can’t Play
So what’s the contingency plan for the Packers’ defense if Alexander can’t suit up and line up?
As a precaution, the Packers made the decision to lure in David Long. The veteran cornerback came to the practice squad with a past Super Bowl ring — the one he won alongside Jalen Ramsey with the 2021 Los Angeles Rams.
Long was last seen with the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders. During his time with the former, he played on special teams for three contests against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers, though, have other options to counter Lamb and Co.
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Carrington Valentine appears to be the first man up in the event Alexander can’t go. The 22-year-old seventh-round rookie saw action in all 17 games, starting in 12 contests. Valentine ended with 44 total tackles, 33 solo stops, nine defensed passes, and one forced fumble.
Outside of Valentine, Corey Ballentine is another option the Packers can throw in. Ballentine is a fourth-year defender who began his career with the New York Giants. He ended up starting in a career-high six games this regular season.
Ballentine also joined the 40-tackle club in Green Bay. And the 43 total stops he racked up qualified as a new career-best figure for him. He also set new personal marks in solo tackles (28) and pass deflections (seven). And he picked off one pass against the Minnesota Vikings in the crucial New Year’s Eve contest that carried playoff implications.
Was Alexander Oft-injured in 2023?
This season became a truncated one for Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler.
Alexander sustained more than his hamstring ailment. He also missed a lot of time with a shoulder injury.
The 5’11” cornerback suffered the injury back on Nov. 5 against the Los Angeles Rams, a 20-3 win for Green Bay. Alexander ended up missing an entire month’s worth of action because of the injury.
He eventually returned on Christmas Eve against the Carolina Panthers. He snatched three solo stops and forced one fumble in the 33-30 shootout win. Alexander then appeared again for the Week 18 season finale against the Chicago Bears, which saw him deliver two solo tackles in the 17-9 win.
But with his in-season ailment, did Alexander lose a step in his area of expertise, blanket coverage? Alexander wound up allowing five catches in three consecutive games against the Vikings, Rams, and in his return against the Panthers. However, he didn’t allow a single reception to his side against the Bears in Week 18.
When healthy, Alexander is one of the league’s best cover corners. And that element is greatly needed against Lamb, the NFL’s reception leader this past regular season.
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