The Green Bay Packers have long been awaiting the return of star safety Jaire Alexander, who was placed on IR after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After being cleared to return last week, Alexander didn't feature for the Packers in Week 16. The expectation was that he'd get a bit more rest and be ready to go for Week 17's clash with the Minnesota Vikings. But per Lily Zhao, Alexander has been placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list, eliminating any chance that he'd be back on Sunday.

This is a huge blow for the Packers, who were hoping to get the star defenseman back after a long absence. Alexander has been eager to get back on the field with his teammates, and will surely be frustrated following the results of his recent COVID-19 test. It's unclear whether or not Alexander is vaccinated, though he should be able to return for Week 18's bout with the Lions to wrap up the season regardless of his vaccination status, due to the recently-adjusted NFL COVID-19 policies.

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While losing Alexander for another week is a rough blow, it's certainly refreshing to see this ailment isn't related to the shoulder injury that forced him to go on IR, and nearly caused him to get season-ending surgery. Alexander should be able to get past his battle with COVID in short order and be back on the field for Week 18, getting the chance to get some crucial reps in before the playoffs.

Across four seasons with the Packers, including 2021, Alexander has featured in 48 games, starting 46. He has five interceptions, 44 pass defenses, 188 tackles, and 1.5 sacks.