Packers-Bears Injury Report: Huge Jaire Alexander Update

Christian Watson was among eight players, including several starters, who did not practice on Wednesday as the Packers get ready for the Bears.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) tackles Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift on Nov. 17. / Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander “most likely” is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury, coach Matt LaFleur said after Wednesday’s practice.

After trying for more than two months to get past a torn PCL originally sustained on Oct. 27, Alexander had arthroscopic surgery, according to a source.

“It’s unfortunate,” LaFleur said. “I feel for him. Obviously, he was trying to get his knee right, it wasn’t getting right, and so, yeah, it’s a tough deal for all of us.”

Alexander briefly came back from the injury after the bye at Chicago on Nov. 17. He made it through 10 plays before dropping out of the game. He has not played since, though he’s practiced frequently – and sometimes as full participation.

LaFleur wasn’t in the mood to second-guess how the injury was handled.

“Yeah, we can go back in time. That’s not what I’m trying to do right now,” he said. “It’s the situation. It stinks that we’re here but we’re here.”

Alexander has played 35.2 percent of the defensive snaps this season, fourth-most at the position, but is tied for second on the team with seven passes defensed. As has been the case for most of the second half of the season, it will be up to Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Eric Stokes.

The Packers have been one of the healthiest teams in the NFL all season, but they are a beat-up bunch for the start of the workweek leading into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears.

Coming off Sunday’s loss at the Vikings, these players also did not participate in the walk-through practice:

Receiver Christian Watson: Watson was inactive for the loss at Minnesota because of a knee injury sustained during the first half a week earlier against the Saints.

Watson went through a pregame workout, but that was a rehab workout and not an attempt to play in the game.

“I just couldn’t do what I needed to do to be able to go,” he said after the game. “So, they didn’t let me go.”

Watson had a huge game against Chicago in November.

Linebacker Quay Walker: Walker missed the last two games with an ankle injury sustained at Seattle. Without him, Eric Wilson and Edgerrin Cooper were the every-down linebackers as Green Bay slammed the door on Aaron Jones.

Alexander’s last game was a 10-snap appearance at Chicago on Nov. 17.

Safety Zayne Anderson: Because of injuries, Anderson started the last two weeks – the first two starts of his career – but he sustained a concussion while making a tackle on kickoff coverage early against Minnesota.

Safety Evan Williams: Williams missed the last two games with an injured quad sustained during the final practice before the New Orleans game.

Defensive end Brenton Cox: Cox played through an injury on a play similar to the one in which Packers tight end Tucker Kraft took out Vikings defensive end Pat Jones – a play that drew the ire of Vikings pass rusher Jonathan Greenard.

That Greenard was upset made LaFleur upset.

“It’s the same thing that their guys were doing to our defensive ends,” LaFleur said on Monday. “It’s a cross-sift. It’s a totally legal play. You’ve got to defeat the block, and there’s a lot of different ways to do it. Cox got sawed off by Johnny Mundt one time, and did it to us twice in the game.

“What are we talking about? I get it. As a defensive player, they don’t like it. I think Troy (Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations) already come out and said that he wants to eliminate low blocks around the league. But it’s part of the game. So, if you don’t want to get those types of blocks, you can’t be so out of control. We get it too with our defensive ends. If we’re flying off the ball, you’re going to get cross-sift(ed). That’s a way to try to slow down just the speed off the edge. It’s a great equalizer.”

Offensive tackle Andre Dillard: Dillard was out last week with a concussion.

On the bright side for Green Bay, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who missed most of the Minnesota game with a concussion, at least went through warmups.

Limited were running back Chris Brooks, safety Javon Bullard, running back Josh Jacobs, guard Elgton Jenkins and tight end Tucker Kraft.

The Packers are 10.5-point favorites at FanDuel Sportsbook with a total of 40.5 for Sunday’s game against the Bears; the line started at 10 and was at 9.5 on Wednesday morning.

Chicago has lost 10 consecutive games, tied for the longest in-season losing streak in franchise history.

LaFleur is 11-0 against the Bears.

“Win every game,” LaFleur said of his focus. “So, right now, our focus, obviously, is on Chicago. (We) cleaned up everything from this last game, and there was a lot to clean up. Honestly, I didn’t feel like it was to our standard, and you got to give them credit.

“I mean, that’s a good football team, but I thought there was a lot of things within our own control in terms of playing with fundamentals and discipline that we did not do a very good job of. And that was disappointing. It just was sloppy football.”

Packers Wednesday Injury Report

Did not participate: CB Jaire Alexander (knee), S Zayne Anderson (concussion), DE Brenton Cox, OT Andre Dillard (concussion), LB Quay Walker (ankle), WR Christian Watson (knee).

Limited: RB Chris Brooks, S Javon Bullard (ankle), RB Josh Jacobs, LG Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Tucker Kraft.

Bears Wednesday Injury Report

Did not participate: OL Larry Borom (illness), DB Elijah Hicks (ankle/foot), RB Travis Homer (hamstring), OL Teven Jenkins (calf), WR Rome Odunze (illness).

Full: S Tarvarius Moore (knee).

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