Packers 2020 roster preview: Jaire Alexander a breakout candidate
Jaire Alexander could be set for a breakout season in 2020.
Jaire Alexander was the Green Bay Packers‘ first-round pick two years ago, and so far he’s showed whey they traded up to get him.
A rising star at cornerback, Alexander continues to improve and is one of the best young players at the position.
Will it be a breakout season for Alexander?
2019 stats
Alexander started all 16 games for the Packers, leading the team with 17 passes defended, while also making two interceptions and a forced fumble.
2019 review
Alexander built on an impressive rookie season with an even better year in 2019. He shutdown some excellent wide receivers including Emmanuel Sanders, regularly getting a hand on the football to deflect passes away.
According to Pro Football Focus, Alexander had the second-best forced incompletion percentage among cornerbacks who had at least 90 targets in their coverage.
He’s still a young player and made mistakes. Amari Cooper dominated Alexander for much of the meeting between the Packers and Dallas Cowboys but, for the most part, Alexander was tough to complete passes against all season.
Alexander made a second-year jump and is one of the best young corners in the league. He’s only 23 years old and can be a star.
Odds of making roster: 100 percent
Alexander is Green Bay’s No. 1 cornerback. He’s going to be an important part of this defense for many years to come.
What to expect in 2020?
Alexander missed some time due to injury in his rookie season but put concerns about his durability to one side when he started all 16 games last year. Alexander just needs to keep improving and with more experience, he’ll continue to become a better player.
He’s regularly breaking up passes and preventing completions so it’s only a matter of time before he starts forcing more turnovers. Alexander picked off two passes and forced a fumble last season but he also missed a few great opportunities.
To take the next step, he’ll need to start making quarterbacks pay for throwing the ball his way. Don’t be surprised if we see that happen more often in 2020.