Jaire Alexander injury update: Green Bay Packers CB placed on injured reserve

The Packers have placed defensive back Jaire Alexander on injured reserve, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The move will force Alexander to miss the majority of the playoffs but could return if his team makes the Super Bowl.

Green Bay’s move comes as no surprise, as it was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Alexander underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday to alleviate his pain and swelling. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur later confirmed that Alexander would likely miss the rest of the season.

The two-time Pro Bowler has been effective in the seven games he’s played in, recording 16 tackles (15 tackles), two interceptions, a pick-six and seven passed defended. Alexander has graded out as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 20 cornerback this season (75.2 overall grade).

Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley commented on his star defensive back’s injury, touching on how hard Alexander worked to play through his injury over the next several weeks.

“Ja was practicing, he was trying to come back. So there’s always hope, right? I mean, he was out there last week still trying to practice,” Hafley said, via the team website. “So I kept that in the back of my mind and was hopeful we’d get him back. He worked for it, he kept pushing himself, and it didn’t work out.”

Hafley said that there’s no more thinking about what the Packers could do if he’d be in the game. Instead, they have to move forward into the final week of the regular season and into the playoff push without their All-Pro defensive back.

“More than anything I feel for Ja, and we’ve been counting on the guys who’ve been on the field, they’ve been doing a really good job, so there is no looking back or what-ifs, it’s just full-speed-ahead with how we’ve been playing and each week how we can evolve and get better,” Hafley continued. “But I’m proud of the guys who’ve been in.”

The Packers could finish the regular season with 12 wins if they were to defeat the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Vegas has Green Bay as a 10.5-point betting favorite heading into the matchup inside Lambeau Field on Sunday. The over/under is set at 41.5 points.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET and will air live on FOX.