I'm certain Gutekunst will address the CB position. The Pass Rush is equally problematic and together they will
require a large amt of Draft/FA Capital.

Jaire shouldn’t have played in his last game. That was a mistake in hindsight with an injury like a PCL, one often feels ready before one is. Get that wrong and the absence is a lot longer. Then they clearly were uncertain if surgery was needed. It looks like it took testing in practice to make it clear.

Had he had the surgery after the aggravation, the timeline would put him coming back about now. That they did not put him on IR suggests that wasn’t a clear need.

I don’t subscribe to the “Jaire is gone” cacophony. Injuries happen and a PCL for a corner is essentially like giving Superman kryptonite. It removes the elite agility and burst that is core to what they do.

Jaire was playing pretty well before the injury. That injury does not appear to be a repeat or congenital. I suspect he’s back unless the team know more and to the contrary. In the meantime, DL and OL have a greater priority in my mind than corner at this point, looking ahead into the off season.

I'll preface my comments by saying you can never have enough cover guys, and that I was someone who was openly pulling for a CB in the first two days in the 2024 draft. Entering the 2024 draft, though, the Packers had a lot of bodies for the CB room and some were seen as ascending. They'd invested in Nixon. They had reason to believe that Stokes was at least healthy. With a new DC with a background in DBs, it's possible they were counting on Stokes playing better which would've gone a long way toward solidifying the group.

The Packers decided to attend to the middle of the defense--which is looking like they found good players there--and rely on the CB group making a jump. Keep in mind, also, that Bullard and McKinney are coverage type safeties and Bullard in particular helps in the slot. So there were additions in the draft, still, I was surprised that their lone CB addition was late (King). Maybe they felt they were intentional in that, but if you're pushing a pick to the 7th round (King, Walker, etc.) and allowing everyone else to have that many cracks at those guys, the managing those guys in the draft idea doesn't hold up so well.

Bottom line: I don't think they can afford to cut JA from the vantage point of depth in the CB room and his contract doesn't offer a lot of relief if he's cut prior to Jun-1. Stokes hasn't earned a short-term return deal (think Nick Perry when the Packers declined his option), but someone will buy on him and get the Packers a comp pick in 2026. JA is also in the drivers' seat WRT taking a pay cut, but he may recognize that given his availability issues, his pathway to better money might be to show well first. They're going to need to hit the CB position and shore up both lines early in this upcoming draft.

"Alexander is currently under contract with the Packers for 2025, although the team does have a way to opt out after this season."

Can we quit using this language in contracts? There are no contract options or player options in the NFL, at least none that look like those in MLB or other sports. SportTrac uses that terminology to represent a point where cap hit and savings relative to cutting or dealing a player become about break-even or working in the team's favor.

Every team always has an "opt out"--it's called cutting the player.

Gute should spend money on the DL.
So I have No problem with Clark or Gary.
GET them help! His picks are too light and lack height.
Just stop drafting CBs that can't play pass 5 years.
Alexander will be back. And Rookies take time.
Didn't he find Douglass? So why give up on what we got.
The next draft is about depth-
Players that drop regardless of position.
The 2nd round fills the need. Fills the Depth.
And Gute just won't succeed when his high picks get hurt.

No, dobber, I'm unfortunately going to have to disagree on this.

Here's how I would address the CB spot.

We dress 5 CBs, with another one inactive on the 53. Nixon, Valentine, and King are all under contract for next year. Ballantine, Stokes, and Rochelle are all FAs I'd let all three of them leave.

I'd use our #1 pick on a CB. I'd also trade Alexander for what I could get, hopefully a Day 2 pick. Maybe the Jet's second round pick. And I'd use that selection on a CB. So, now I've got 5 CBs to dress, if nobody is injured. I'd also see if we couldn't get a 2nd tier FA, and I'd use a Day 3 pick . That's 7.

Alexander's age, and substantial injury history, combined with the salary and bonuses he'd earn, are enough to make me want to turn the page. We were the #10 scoring defense last year without him, and we're the #6 scoring defense without him much this year. He's not helping us win games.

A lot of fans, including me, thought it was a big need this season.

Looking forward, drafting one and signing a quality free agent makes sense. Otherwise you'd be counting on Alexander and a rookie learning the ropes, although Valentine has proved to be a solid backup (and that was a great interception last game by the way). The Packers have money to spend, but they'll need to balance it with whatever it is their plan to improve the pass rush is.

Vying for that first round pick will be a pass rusher and maybe a DT. I won't argue though, that CB is the most urgent need.

Depending on what happens to Alexander, we might be needing a no.1 corner which translates to CB being the most likely first round pick.

Other picks are possible if there is better value there, when our first pick becomes due, but that would mean that CB is then an even higher priority for the second round pick, almost a must-pick-there.............and I think it very likely there is a second CB taken somewhere - maybe a high level athlete that is a bit green and needs time to pick up a system.

While ideally you want a CB who can do everything, if I have a choice between two CBs, one of whom is better in zone and the other better in man - I choose the guy better in man coverage.

we could do with at least one O lineman, probably taken on day two or early day three. What position is taken depends on how the coaches want to set up the line next year - and how they do that determines which position (OT/OG/C) they want. This is another position group that could easily stand to have more than one pick spent on it.

If I had to make an early guess at what they do (and its way too early to say with any assurance), I'd go CB, ER, (could be either way round), then DT, OC, CB, ILB, WR.

We could make a much better guess when we know who is staying and who is going...........and we have more information about draft prospects, like the college bowl games, the E/W Shrine, Senior Bowl and Combine.

Will the Packers move up, down or stay put with early picks. As usual, I prefer we move down to pick up an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick, because I subscribe to the Ted Thompson philosophy of more is better (at least in the early rounds), even if you drop a few spots to get that. Of course it all depends on the draft board on the day, and how the Packers own board is stacked.

As for free agency, the word is that it isn't a good year for high level players. While there is still time for surprises, in 2025 I'm expecting only low-level additions to round out the squad.

Final thought. The D line coach is one who has under-achieved the most recently, as he seems to have done less with more, compared to other positions. I'd be at least looking around to upgrade there.

IMO Pass rush help and corner are both huge needs. A better, more consistent pass rush would help the secondary. A better secondary will help the pass rush.
The Browns organization is a dumpster fire. They will be 37 million OVER the cap in 2025. They need to create cap space.
Gute should offer our 1st and Van Ness for Myles Garrett. More if needed. I would not be opposed to a future high pick as well. GB will have the cap space .
Sign DJ Reed in free agency. If Alexander's knee checks out ok, great. All of a sudden Valentine and Nixon are the #3 and #4 corners.
Adding developmental prospects will not get the pack over the hump. This would.

I’d keep Alexander and continue to draft.
Our biggest need continues to be, as some have said, a “twitchy” edge rusher—I completely agree.
IMO, a Max Crosby type would make us elite.
Go Packers!!!

We do both. If the surgery is 100% successful we keep Jaire...duh. We also draft a CB early and explore free agency as well. We are great on Offense (if the receivers improve at catching the ball) Too many drops.