The Green Bay Packers haven’t hidden their internal frustration over Jaire Alexander’s extensive injury history over the last four seasons. General manager Brian Gutekunst said as much in his season-ending press conference in mid-January, stating it’s “really, really frustrating” when a player of Alexander’s caliber can’t “get on the field consistently.”
But could the bubbling disconnect behind the scenes between player and team be more about playing through injuries?
From Rob Demovsky of ESPN: “Multiple team sources have privately expressed their frustration with Alexander’s inability to stay healthy and/or play through injuries.”
The Packers have said the first part out loud. The second part would be the important information.
Both sides are undeniably frustrated over the injuries. While an unfortunate part of the game, injuries are frustrating to the player, who can’t be on the field, and the team, who lose a key part of winning games.
Playing through injuries is much different than getting injured.
In 2021, Alexander suffered a shoulder injury and missed 13 straight games. Over the last two seasons, Alexander has suffered groin, back, shoulder and knee injuries. The knee injury — suffered in Week 8 last season — was aggravated when Alexander tried coming back after the bye, and he ended up missing the rest of the season despite practicing at times over the final two months.
Alexander plays a difficult position when it comes to playing through injuries. Cornerbacks must be perfect in their movements to cover NFL-caliber wide receivers, and they must also be willing to tackle and get big people on the ground against the run and after the catch. More importantly, confidence is a huge part of the position — and confidence can erode when trying to fight through injury. Just ask Jordan Love. There is extensive rehab done throughout the week, taking the mind away from the task on the field, and a player must then be confident in his body responding the right way when bullets start flying in-game.
Alexander has two years left on his deal. This offseason, the Packers must decide if he can stay healthy and contribute value in 2025 and beyond.
Playing through injuries is a tricky thing and could certainly be part of the behind-the-scenes drama between the Packers and Alexander as an important offseason of decisions approaches.