It looks like the San Francisco 49ers may avoid facing one of the Green Bay Packers’ best defenders.
Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander told the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman he sustained a torn PCL in Week 8 that cost him the team’s Week 9 loss to the Detroit Lions and most of their Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears. Green Bay’s Bye was in Week 10.
Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, missed the team’s Wednesday and Thursday practices. It doesn’t sound like he’s on track to return any time soon, or at least certainly not by Sunday. He hasn’t been officially ruled out, but it looks like the Packers’ top cornerback will be out for Week 12 when the 49ers visit. Alexander attempted returning in Chicago last week and was limited to only 10 snaps.
If Alexander doesn’t go, Schneidman speculated second-year CB Carrington Valentine would get the start. Valentine started 12 of the 17 games he appeared in as a rookie seventh-round pick last season. This year he’s played in eight games with no starts, though he did receive a lion’s share of the workload after Alexander went out in Week 11.
Carrington has allowed one touchdown as a pro and has yet to record an interception. Quarterbacks have a 82.1 passer rating when targeting him according to Pro Football Focus.
Given some of the 49ers’ struggles with their passing game this season, a team missing its best cornerback could be a significant development for them as they try and exit their offensive rut in time to make a postseason run.
