Packers make the right move with Jaire Alexander injury

Losing Jaire Alexander for any length of time is one of the Green Bay Packers‘ worst-case scenarios.

Unfortunately for a defense already without its top pass rusher indefinitely, it has become a reality.

The Packers are typically conservative with injuries, and it’s a smart approach. They like to give players the necessary time to fully recover without risking them playing too soon.

We’re now seeing that with Alexander, as the team announced on Saturday that the star cornerback has been placed on injured reserve. It’s an indication the injury is serious enough to sideline him for multiple weeks, but also a good decision by the Packers.

Being placed on IR means he’s now out for a minimum of three games. It ends any question of him returning sooner, which means the Pro Bowler can spend the next three weeks focused on his recovery. Once the three weeks are up, the Packers can assess his injury and plan the next steps.

As ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported earlier this week, Alexander won’t be having surgery on his shoulder, at least not yet. Green Bay is hoping that with time, the injury will heal without surgery and he’ll be able to return this season.

If surgery is required at a later date, then that will be an option.

In the short term, the Packers’ defense will have to adjust without their All-Pro cornerback shutting down top wide receivers. But it’s in Alexander and the Packers’ best interest to let him recover for at least three weeks without the worry of him making the injury worse if he came back earlier than that.

Now there’s no conversation. He’s out for at least three weeks, and by then they will have a better idea of how Alexander’s shoulder injury is recovering and whether he could make a return this season.