Jaire Alexander Remains the Spark Plug In Green Bay's Locker Room

Injuries derailed yet another season for Jaire Alexander. At this point, it's almost more surprising to see him on the field than on the sidelines in green and gold.

That's because Alexander has missed 34 of Green Bay's last 68 regular season games. This year, he didn't play a single game after the November 11 win in Chicago, a contest he exited early.

Despite that and all the rumblings that the Packers will part ways with their veteran corner, there's still a case to be made for keeping No. 23 around.

Alexander has butted heads with the coaching staff and front office at different times throughout his tenure in Green Bay (see his 2023 suspension). However, it's never seemed to trickle down to his teammates.

Superman. A dog. Someone you don't want to throw the ball at.

That's just the beginning of how teammates have described Alexander.

There's no question that durability has been an issue. There's also no question that when Alexander has the shoulder pads and helmet on, he's a spark plug for the locker room.

Vocal leaders that teammates rally around aren't necessarily easy to find. Usually, the quarterback is anointed, regardless of whether they want to be the team's voice.

Alexander has been a pulse in the locker room for years.

Brian Gutekunst followed the path of former general manager Ted Thompson. Whether Gutekunst would admit it, the Packers would prefer to part ways with a player one year too early than one year too late. However, that gets dicey when players have been with the organization their entire career and fans feel they're cut out of the equation too early.

However, the Packers have decided to let players like Randall Cobb, Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, Josh Sitton, and others leave at a time that can stir up a fanbase and send a brief shock through the locker room. In all four cases, they parted ways at the right time from an on-field contribution standpoint.

Why does this matter in Alexander's case?

Alexander isn't a spring chicken anymore. Still, he's 28 and in the prime of his career. This isn't Nelson starting 15 games at age 32 and posting a sub-500-yard season after three consecutive years of 1,200-plus receiving yards. This isn't Matthews starting all 16 games at age 32 and posting a career-low 3.5 sacks.

In both those cases, the gas tank was running on low for both.

Alexander is still producing.

Though he played only seven games last year, Alexander was still tied for second on the team in interceptions and pass deflections.

He's not over the hill. There's a strong belief there's a lot of good ball left in him. The injuries are the problem, which makes it a peculiar case for Gutekunst and Co. to navigate.

When asked about Alexander in January, Gutekunst made it sound as tricky as the situation appears to be.

Not exactly a vote of confidence or an admission of it being time to move on. However, if you polled many fans and analysts, they would say the writing is on the wall and both sides need a fresh start. It's hard to dispute that.

Green Bay has a massive need at corner if Alexander is to exit stage right this offseason. Heck, even with him back in the fold, cornerback is still a need for the Packers, and there’s a genuine risk in banking in on Alexander finally staying healthy.

From a financial standpoint, the Packers can cut ties with him, but they would take on a dead cap hit of around $18 million this year if they choose to take that road. They would bank a shade less than $7 million in cap savings.

If not for the injuries, there wouldn't be a question about whether or not to bring back Alexander next season. Alas, that's not the reality he or the Packers find themselves in.

A fresh start may be in the best interest of both sides. However, Packers fans wouldn't be upset if he's back. The locker room still needs his voice, and he remains wildly productive when he’s on the field. And getting rid of him creates a major hole in an already porous cornerback room.

It's not as easy a decision as it may seem.