Matt LaFleur Explains Why Packers Suspended Jaire Alexander
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander will not be on the field for a must-win showdown against Justin Jefferson and the Vikings on Sunday night.
GREEN BAY Wis. – Even with a must-win game looming against Justin Jefferson and Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers suspended cornerback Jaire Alexander for one game on Wednesday for “conduct detrimental” to the team.
Alexander was not supposed to be one of the three pregame captains for Sunday’s victory at Carolina. Alexander appointed himself one, anyway.
General manager Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur handed down the punishment, which was rendered for issues that run deeper than Sunday’s pregame.
(Martha added emphasis) “It’s never for one thing,” LaFleur said. “I think there’s a lot of lessons along the way from everybody involved and, hopefully, we learn from them. I think we will. I think there will be probably better communication moving forward.”
LaFleur said he’s “looking forward” to Alexander returning to the lineup for the Week 18 game against the Bears.
“The decision to suspend a player is never easy and not one we take lightly,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Jaire's actions prior to the game in Carolina led us to take this step.
“As an organization, we have an expectation that everyone puts the team first. While we are disappointed, we had a good conversation with Jaire this morning and fully expect him to learn from this as we move forward together. We look forward to welcoming him back next week as he is a valued member of this team and will continue to be in the future.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher, with the Packers playing a must-win game at the Vikings on New Year’s Eve.
Jefferson, who has more receiving yards than any player in NFL history
...
But, because of Alexander’s selfish act, the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history won’t be on the field for a primetime matchup against a premier player with playoff hopes on the line.
“Next man up,” LaFleur said. “That’s the mentality, no matter what position. It’s a competitive situation and we’re going to put the guys that are in there that we feel are going to give us the best opportunity to win the football game.”
Alexander is a Charlotte native so thought he should be on the field with captains last week.
...
Alexander was a team captain in 2021. In May 2022, he signed a four-year contract extension worth $84 million.
Alexander has played in only six of a possible 15 games this season. He missed three games early in the year with a back injury, then suffered a shoulder injury in his return to the lineup. He returned to the lineup last week after missing the previous six games.
“When a guy’s been in and out, it’s hard to anoint them a captain for a game when you’re not sure if they’re going to be available or not,” LaFleur said.
In 2024, Alexander has a salary-cap charge of $24.36 million, according to OverTheCap.com. Trading him before June 1 would add another $3.09 million to the ledger.
“Ja’s going to be here a long time,” LaFleur said. “He’s a hell of player, and just looking to move past this and learn from it and we’ll all move forward and be better for it.”