Fresh off brutal Jaire Alexander injury update, Matt LaFleur gambles with Packers health

The Green Bay Packers entered the 2024 season with plenty of hope and optimism for their immediate future. In his first year as the starter, quarterback Jordan Love led the team to a dominant playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys and fell just a few plays short of defeated the San Francisco 49ers for a trip to the NFC Championship Game.

Even after Love suffered an injury in the regular season opener, Green Bay proved to be a well-rounded and disciplined team by winning their next two games with backup quarterback Malik Willis.

Green Bay seemed poised for another deep postseason run, but they’ve stumbled a bit over the last month of the regular season. Although the Packers clinched a playoff berth in Week 16, there are growing reasons for concern in Green Bay.

Packers will play starters despite Jaire Alexander’s injury update

After losing two of their past four games, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is hoping to build some momentum before heading into the playoffs. Green Bay is locked into the NFC’s No. 7 seed, but LaFleur still plans to play the starters against the Chicago Bears in Week 18.

“I think there’s value to going out there and playing and playing well,” LaFleur said, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

Teams that play their best football in December are typically the ones who win the Super Bowl, so there’s an argument to be made for not resting starters. For teams that are stumbling into the playoffs, using the regular season finale to get back on track could prove to be a wise decision. 

Still, it comes with plenty of risk. Rather than resting the team’s starters, LaFleur will expose them to the risk of injury right before the playoffs. That risk is harder to swallow right after a brutal injury update regarding Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander. 

Alexander underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday to alleviate pain and swelling, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The earliest he would be able to return would be for the Super Bowl, if Green Bay makes it that far.

The Packers have played seven straight games without Alexander, who suffered a knee injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8. Although Alexander attempted to battle through the injury, he only managed to play 10 snaps after the injury. Green Bay was hoping to see their top cornerback return for the postseason, but that’s no longer a possibility.

The Packers have lost five of their seven games against opponents with a winning record this season. Along with their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, Green Bay dropped both games against the Minnesota Vikings and both games against the Detroit Lions.