Was gonna go in a different direction this week but since everyone's putting in their two cents, might as well drop mine.

Fabled Packers Cornerback Jaire Alexander's been the talk of the town for weeks, and it's making me absolutely miserable.

He's not Myles Garrett, who's disgruntled for reasons that are easily justifiable.

He's not Tyreek Hill, who's "supposedly" disgruntled no longer....(can't BS a BSer Tyreek)

He's not Deebo Samuel, who's disgruntled because....well, because of Christian McCaffrey to be blunt.

Instead, it's the front office who's disgruntled with him for being hurt too much. Injuries are a part of the game; and unfortunately, bad things happen to good people. Jaire Alexander's been an exceptional player in this league when he's on the field. You don't see other CBs doing the Griddy and the Waddle after shutting down some of the best receivers in the game today. You also don't hear often of another elite wide receiver who shall not be named essentially leaving the division because he didn't want to see Jaire twice a year.

And yet, we are stuck in a maelstrom of "should he stay or should he go", as if Jaire hasn't done enough already to cement a near-permanent spot on the Packers' active roster for the rest of his playing days. Instead, some Packers fans and a couple of TRAITORS inside of 1265 are happy to ship him off for some measly picks just because he's had a couple of seasons down on his luck, which need I remind you the performance never dwindled when he was on the field at 100%.

But you know what, I'm a Capricorn, and what do Capricorns do? We bring a sense of logic and/or rationale to everything. We keep the rest of you unwashed heathens centered when there's nothing but chaos surrounding you.

That being said, can you REALLY afford to jettison Jaire Alexander, Brian Gutekunst?

(For what it's worth, I don't think this "sentiment" comes from him directly)

The Packers missed Jaire Alexander for essentially 10.5 games in 2024, and the secondary performed well enough to lead the league in takeaways under new Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley. Now some might take that as an indicator that the Packers no longer require Jaire's services, but one could also contend that the Packers could accomplish much more with him remaining in their ranks. But for all the accolades this defense did receive, it certainly had its low moments. Going 1-5 in the NFC North (which isn't entirely on the defense) is a performance Head Coach Matt LaFleur will surely want to improve upon. Having a healthy Jaire Alexander on the field can certainly go a long way in doing better than surrendering an average of 26.5 points to division rivals. And while Gutekunst has expressed many times that you don't "chase" teams in this league, the Packers will see the reigning Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles again next year, just this time within the "safe confines" of Lambeau Field.

So in a post-Jaire Alexander world, what possibly could the Packers do to replicate their success when they did have him?

Welp, from a history standpoint the Packers haven't faired well recently. Second-best cornerback drafted by Gutekunst? That's Carrington Valentine (didn't see that coming did you?) His best free agent pickup? Keisean Nixon. Both are expected to be back, but if the Packers want to go on to bigger and better things the talent level has to be raised. And while there is a decent amount of free agents available this go-round, I just don't see the Packers breaking the bank for anyone worthwhile, especially considering the gobs of cap they'll eat if they kick Alexander to the curb. So that sends us back to the Draft, and with Eric Stokes most likely given his walking papers and Kalen King probably a Practice Squad stash, Gutekunst has only "hit" on two out of seven selections since taking the helm in 2018.

When Jaire came out of Louisville in 2018, he had an average grade of 77.67 over three years per Pro Football Focus. That may not sound all that impressive, but fast forward to the 2025 class, and a lot of the players some of you may be pining for the Packers to take, don't even cut the mustard according to that simple metric. While I'm limited to only the players within the PFF database, only four cornerbacks in the 2025 class surpassed that bar.

Travis Hunter, Colorado - 81.67 (Consensus 1st Overall Pick)

Will Johnson, Michigan - 81.2 (Consensus Top 10 Pick)

Jahdae Barron, Texas - 79.7 (Consensus Top 25 Pick)

Trey Amos, Ole Miss - 78.03 (Projected Day Two Pick)

I did manage to find some honorable mentions, however:

Alijah Huzzie, North Carolina - 77.47 (Projected Day Two Pick)

Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech - 75.9 (Projected Day Two Pick)

O'Donnell Fortune, South Carolina - 77.57 (Projected Day Three Pick)

Jabbar Muhummad, Oregon - 77.3 (Projected Day Three Pick)

The Packers are picking 23rd Overall, so the odds of getting Travis Hunter are negative, and Will Johnson will be long gone too. The Aggie in me is slowly warming up to Jahdae Barron because I don't think Gutekunst is interested in a 6'3 corner which is the Rebels' Amos. So there you have it folks, just ONE corner who just might be what the Packers need to turn the corner defensively from a coverage standpoint. And that's IF someone doesn't leapfrog the Packers to get him. Seeing as I expect Hunter and Johnson gone by 13th Overall. That's a long time to wait for a team that's needy in the secondary. Otherwise, the Gutekunst and the Packers' Front Office will be bobbing for apples on Day Two, hoping that they can find at least a roleplayer who can push Nixon and Valentine for starter's reps down the stretch. The more I type, the more I like the idea of a Paulson Adebo getting snagged early during Free Agency. You know what, f*ck it, just pay Asante Samuel Jr whatever he wants, and let's play ball. Unfortunately, I still find both scenarios highly unlikely.

Now obviously, I don't have the thousands of hours of tape the Packers FO has, nor do I have the time to view it either. Plus we haven't even reached the Combine, which is going to turn some prospects' evaluations upside down. Every year there are some surprises from deep in the bowels of the Draft plus you have the proverbial lottery of UDFAs. But Gutekunst certainly has his work cut out for him if he's going to select a player to essentially replace Alexander plus find another one who would then count as the Packers "upgrading" the secondary. Assuming he takes the "Ted Thompson Approach" and selects three defensive backs in 2025, he's going to have to "hit" on two out of the three. Given his recent history, that's a tall order for the General Manager.

I know Gutekunst said he wanted to get aggressive this year, but this ain't it. Jaire leaving the Packers makes little to no sense, whether you're talking on the field or off the field. After the 2025 season, maybe we can have this discussion, and that's IF AND ONLY IF, the Packers can find two or more solid defensive backs who can carry the torch for years to come. Until then Jaire Alexander SHOULD be here to stay ladies and gentlemen. The Packers' 2025 success and beyond depends upon it.

And on that note....let's talk about some prospects on Friday!

#GPG