Much has been made about Jaire Alexander's status with the team. The Green Bay Packers have their star defensive back under contract for the next two years. He does not hit NFL free agency until 2027. At that point, he will be entering his age-30 season out of Louisville. While he is a productive player when healthy, he has failed to play in half of the Packers' games in three of the last four years.
If the Packers do move on from Alexander this offseason by way of a trade, there is a familiar face that could return to Matt LaFleur's team. That would be former Buffalo Bills defensive back Rasul Douglas who spent part of three seasons with the Packers from 2021 to 2023. The Johnny Cash of NFL defensive backfields has been everywhere, man, during his eight-year career out of West Virginia.
It may be a different defensive coordinator calling plays, but Jeff Hafley seems to be right at home since leaving the big chair in Chestnut Hill with the Boston College Eagles two offseasons ago. At some point, the Packers are going to have to ask themselves if they are getting the production they were hoping out of Alexander when they gave him a four-year extension after his breakout campaign.
Douglas may not be panacea for Green Bay in the back-end, but he could provide them some relief.
Rasul Douglas could be a Jaire Alexander replacement, if it comes to that
All things equal, Alexander is far the better player. It has proven to be so over the last seven years or so since Alexander entered the league out of Louisville. As far as Douglas is concerned, he is the far more reliable player. Though he has only played in 17 games in a season once, he has never appeared in fewer than 12 at any point in his pro career. Alexander is playing in about seven games a year now.
When I look at the Packers heading into this season, I still have them as a probable playoff team, potentially a division winner if they get lucky. I will never be a believer in the Chicago Bears, but I think the Minnesota Vikings could regress and the Detroit Lions probably will. The two best teams in the NFC play in the same division in the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders out east.
What I am getting at is the Packers need to do something, anything, in an attempt to shake it up a bit to see if they cannot take advantage of the upper crust of the NFC being somewhat down. This would be a great year to see if Jordan Love can lead the Packers back to a conference title bout. They are very much a high-floored team, but I wonder how high their ceiling actually is. I do have faith in them.
I am not as invested in Alexander as the Packers are, but Douglas is out there to be had in early May.