Matt LaFleur Provides Maddening Jaire Alexander Injury Update Ahead of Playoffs

Although the Green Bay Packers have officially qualified for the NFL postseason, their playoff outlook took a hit on Sunday with Week 17's 27-25 loss to the rival Minnesota Vikings.

It was a frustrating game to watch as the Packers were terrorized through the air, surrendering 377 passing yards and a trio of touchdown passes to Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. The abysmal performance against Minnesota's pass left Green Bay fans wishing that cornerback Jaire Alexander had been healthy enough to suit up for the pivotal NFC North clash.

Alexander, 27, has been sidelined since he suffered a knee injury in a 20-19 win over the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The two-time Pro Bowl CB has since returned to practice in recent weeks, however, the Packers have remained tight-lipped regarding a potential return date, frustrating the fanbase in the process.

On Monday afternoon, head coach Matt LaFleur found a way to add on to those frustrations, unfortunately.

Packers Injury News: Matt LaFleur Shares Another Frustrating Jaire Alexander Update

Less than 24 hours after losing to the Vikings, LaFleur spoke to the media about various topics — including Alexander's outlook. Unsurprisingly, the 45-year-old head coach refused to get into details regarding the star cornerback's return to action, per The Athletic's Matt Schneidman.

"(I) can't really get into all that," LaFleur said about the Packers and Alexander potentially disagreeing on his knee injury. He added that the injured defender is dealing with some "swelling in the knee," however, he didn't expand beyond that.

On one hand, Alexander may have indeed suffered a setback that the Packers want to remain mum about until they have more information. On the other hand, it's possible that Green Bay's medical staff isn't as confident in the former Louisville Cardinal's current health level as he is himself.

The latest injury update continues a frustrating two-year stretch for Alexander. Injuries have limited the multi-time All-Pro ballhawk to just 14 games since the start of the 2022 campaign, leaving his future with the Packers up in the air.

Despite the lack of clarity regarding his injury status, Alexander is the type of player the Packers desperately need at the moment. They've surrendered 280-plus passing yards in three of the last five games after allowing that total just once in the first 11 outings.

When healthy, there's no denying that Alexander is still one of the best cornerbacks in the game today. The former 2018 first-rounder still owns the ninth-best coverage grade among CBs (78.3) on Pro Football Focus this season while his 75.2 overall defense mark ranks 12th-best among his peers.

If the NFL playoffs began right now, the Packers would be going up against the Philadelphia Eagles, who boast two of the league's top wideouts in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. After all, the dangerous duo combined for 203 yards and a TD on 12 catches in a 34-29 win over Green Bay in Week 1.

In other words, it's easy to see why Packers fans are praying that Alexander will return in time for the Wild Card Round.

For now, the Packers will hope for some positive Alexander-related news as they prepare for Week 18's finale against the Bears. It's projected to be a one-sided affair as FanDuel Sportsbook currently has LaFleur & Co. listed as 9.5-point home favorites over their NFC North rivals.

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