When the Packers made Jaire Alexander one of the highest paid cornerbacks in football they believed he would be their No. 1 defensive back for years to come. Consecutive injury-plagued seasons seem to have convinced GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff that Alexander can no longer be relied upon to anchor the team's secondary.
At least that's the opinion of ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. His latest mock draft has Green Bay using the No. 23 overall pick to land Florida State cornerback Azareye'h Thomas. Taking a cornerback in Round 1 would be a clear signal that the Packers are going to release Alexander in the offseason. Here is Kiper Jr.'s description of Thomas:
"Thomas was getting some notice after the Senior Bowl, and he's probably going to get some more after the combine. His speed and length are standout traits, and he uses them to make plays on the ball; he broke up 17 passes over the past two seasons. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley would love Thomas in his zone-heavy coverage schemes where he can break on the ball and halt pass catchers before they tack on yards after the catch," Kiper Jr. wrote.
Azareye'h Thomas selection would mean Packers are done with Jaire Alexander
Kiper posits that Thomas might be an ideal fit for Jeff Hafley's zone based coverages. Interestingly, there are plenty of other cornerbacks who might be seen as better values where the Packers are slated to pick towards the bottom of the first round. Someone like Benjamin Morrison, Shavon Revel or Jahdae Barron might provide Green Bay with superior value.
In truth, the identity of the cornerback the Packers might target on Day One is not as important as the decision to part with such a high profile star. The team has been exceedingly patient with Alexander over the last two seasons. His inability to stay on the field has really damaged the team's hopes of making deep playoff runs. Alexander has only managed to play in seven games during each of Green Bay's last two regular seasons.
At the very least, drafting a young cornerback in Round 1 would improve the odds of Green Bay having a talented cornerback they can rely on to play every week. The team might have to be patient for a rookie to adjust to the rigors of playing against top-flight receivers on a regular basis. That appears to be a risk head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff are willing to take.