The 90 to 1 Green Bay Packers roster countdown: No. 5 – Jaire Alexander
The Green Bay Packers, and their 90 players on the roster, are in the midst of their first training camp under coach Matt LaFleur. In an annual tradition from my 11 years at Packer Report, I rank the players in order of importance from No. 90 to No. 1. This isn’t just a listing of the team’s best players. Our rankings take into account talent, importance of the position, depth at the position, salary and draft history. More than the ranking, we hope you learn something about each player. (Note: The start of this series can be found with my former employer.)
No. 5: CB Jaire Alexander ($2,738,802 cap)
Alexander, the team’s first-round pick in 2018, made the all-rookie team. In 2019, his goal is even higher.
“I just want to have a good year, for real. I see myself in the Pro Bowl. I see myself as an All-Pro,” Alexander said with his usual swagger. “Last year was a great starting point for me, but this year is going to be my dog year. I’m putting my stamp on that.”
That’s big talk. Can he back it up? He showed flashes, starting with his prodigious five-pass-breakup game while shadowing the Rams’ Brandin Cooks during a midseason showdown in Los Angeles. He had only one interception, though it would have been three if not for a couple controversial roughing-the-passer penalties. He played on the outside and in the slot. He shadowed some elite receivers down the stretch. While he didn’t always win those matchups, he never backed down.
“With today’s rules, I don’t know if you really shut down, but I feel real comfortable putting Jaire pretty much on anybody we’re going to play,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “He doesn’t flinch in those moments. He didn’t as a rookie, which is rare. Playing that position, specifically him going against some of the guys he had to go through last year, you’ve got to have a short memory. You’re going to get beat. That’s part of it. And I think he showed last year that he could come back from something like that and play at a high level.”
That no-flinch mentality stood out to quarterback Aaron Rodgers, too.
“He’s a very talented guy. He’s made plays. He doesn’t have fear out there,” Rodgers said. “He doesn’t have that ‘itis’ where you’re a little scared when the big-time receiver comes to town and you don’t want to play or you’re scared to get beat. He doesn’t have that. He looks for those challenges.”
While Alexander didn’t shy away from any challenges, he wasn’t always up to those challenges. Last season, according to Pro Football Focus, 90 cornerbacks played at least 300 coverage snaps. Of that group, he ranked 76th with 8.4 coverage snaps per reception, 86th with 5.4 yards per snap and 52nd with a 94.0 passer rating.
Alexander has spent much of training camp lined up across from star receiver Davante Adams. They quickly formed a bond last season, with Alexander eager to learn from one of the best in the business.
“I’ve spoke highly of Jaire since he first got here,” Adams said. “I like the way he operates. He walks around with his headphones on throughout the day and he’s just locked in. He doesn’t show up to work like it’s just another job. He takes it serious. He’ll be on his iPad in about 5 minutes, I’m sure, asking me what it was, why I did this and how I beat him, what was I thinking, different things like that that young guys typically are not as interested in or they don’t think to ask. When I see him go about his business like that, it makes me excited to be on the same team as him.”
A second year of NFL experience should allow Alexander to become more of a force. So will a better pass rush. While Green Bay boasted one of the top rushes in terms of sacks last season, the play-to-play rush was generally feeble. With the additions of edge rushers Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, life should be easier for the guys in the secondary.
“We didn’t get the ball out enough last year, but this year that’s going to change,” Alexander said. “Our front seven, we have great edge rushers. I’m not even going to say good. Those dudes are coming, so the ball is going to be out a lot faster.”
