The Green Bay Packers are entering a new era for their defense and one that began when they released Jaire Alexander. A former first-round pick by the Packers in the 2018 draft, Alexander became Green Bay’s top corner, became a two-time Pro Bowler and earned a pair of second-team Pro Bowl selections. But injuries began to pile up and his contract became too expensive to keep around.
Both sides officially separated in June and Alexander took a team-friendly deal to sign with the Baltimore Ravens. While Green Bay will begin the season with some questions in the secondary, one of them may already be answered as Alexanders’ tenure with the Ravens is beginning the same way his time with the Packers ended.
Former Packers CB Jaire Alexander continues to miss practice with "something he's been dealing with for a few years," according to Ravens HC John Harbaugh.
— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) August 18, 2025
Alexander had his knee drained in July. He missed 10 games in 2024 with a knee injury that eventually required surgery.
The Ravens Are Finding Out What the Packers Already Knew About Jaire Alexander
According to Jason B. Hurschhorn of The Leap, Alexander has been missing practice due to “something he’s been going through” in his knee. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh also said that Alexander had his knee drained in July and had been dealing with the ailment “for a few years.”
“He had something to take care of that knee,” Harbaugh told reporters on Monday. “You do some things to help it from a health standpoint. It’s something he’s been dealing with for a few years now, so it’s not anything we didn’t expect probably…but you got to take a couple of days after you do that before you can practice.”
The Packers, most specifically general manager Brian Gutekunst, have to be laughing right now. Alexander was a productive corner when on the field but missed 33 games over his final four seasons in Green Bay due to injury and another to a team-imposed suspension. While Gutenkunst is originally at fault for handing Alexander a four-year $84 million contract extension in 2022, they also rightfully offered Alexander an incentive-laden contract that his father said “would have been foolish to take.”
It’s not like the Ravens didn’t know what they were getting into. Alexander signed a one-year contract worth $4 million with an additional $2 million in incentives. But the fact he can’t get through training camp is a major concern.
The Packers aren’t out of the woods yet as Alexander’s replacement, Nate Hobbs, is also dealing with a knee injury. But that shouldn’t keep him from playing in the season opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7.. Keisean Nixon and Javon Bullard are also pegged for starting roles while wide receiver convert Bo Melton, Carrington Valentine and potentially Kalen King make up the rest of the group.
The uncertainty for both teams will be a major storyline when the regular season begins.