Packers Downgrade Jaire Alexander; Out Again vs. Giants

Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was downgraded from questionable to out for Monday night’s game at the Giants.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jaire Alexander will miss a fifth consecutive game, with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday downgrading the All-Pro cornerback from questionable to out for Monday night’s game at the New York Giants.

Alexander was limited participation in all three practices this week, all three practices last week before the Kansas City game, all three of the unofficial practices before the Thanksgiving at Detroit and the final two practices before the game against the Chargers.

Alexander was questionable for the Chiefs, Lions and Chargers game but a gameday inactive. This is the first time he’s been ruled out since the Pittsburgh game – a week after the injury – in which he was ruled out in advance.

“We’re all frustrated about it, to be honest with you, but it what it is,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Saturday, when he listed Alexander as questionable.

Alexander suffered a shoulder injury while deflecting a pass against the Rams in Week 9.

“If I’m able to play, then I’m going to play,” he said this week.

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Pain, range of motion and “functionability” were barriers in keeping him out of the lineup, he said.

“I’m the type of person that I always want to put my best foot forward,” he said. “So, I feel like if I can’t put my best foot forward, then it’s just tough to even be out there.”

With Alexander set to be a gameday inactive again, Corey Ballentine will make his fifth consecutive start. Ballentine had gone more than three years between starts.

His position coach in Green Bay, Greg Williams, worked with Ballentine for two weeks on Arizona’s practice squad before the Packers signed him in 2022.

“Corey is going take the information and he’s going to try to apply it on the field,” Williams said. “He’s going to try to execute the way you execute. He’s going to try to play the techniques that you’re asking them to play and any advice you have to help him on any coverage or any technique, he’s going to use it to try to benefit what he’s doing physically on the field.

“To see him put it together and play on Sundays and have a bit of success, to me, it’s not really a shock because I see the work that he puts into it.”

Alexander was a second-team All-Pro in 2020 but missed most of 2021 with a shoulder injury. He bounced back to earn second-team All-Pro honors again last year. Including Monday night, this will mark the eighth time in 13 games that Alexander will be on the sideline.

Asked on Friday about how the defense has played well with starting defensive backs Alexander, Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford missing significant time with injuries and Rasul Douglas traded to Buffalo, defensive coordinator Joe Barry said: “The NFL, it’s a marathon, it’s not a sprint. You’ve got to find a way, and the guys have.

“We had some guys practice today, which was good to see. Hopefully, when we wake up tomorrow, they have another good day. But we coach the heck out of whoever’s healthy and ready to go and, hopefully, those guys that do play continue to take advantage of their opportunities.”

Against the Giants, Ballentine and Carrington Valentine will start at corner with Keisean Nixon manning the slot. In reserve are three Robert Rochell, Kyu Blu Kelly and David Long. Rochell, signed in late October, has the most experience with the Packers.

Eric Stokes practiced all week and is questionable; the Packers could activate him from injured reserve on Monday.

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