The Green Bay Packers’ secondary faces a new reality without Jaire Alexander, their former All-Pro cornerback. As the team tries to find footing in a post-Alexander era, our early 2026 NFL Draft projections point to a promising talent who can take the reins of the Packers’ pass defense and keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.
Can Chandler Rivers Be The Answer Packers Are Looking For After Jaire Alexander’s Exit?
According to our 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Packers will select Duke’s cornerback Chandler Rivers in the first round. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound defender is tailor-made for Green Bay’s defensive scheme, which ran the eighth-most zone coverage in 2024.
Duke CB Chandler Rivers (@_ChandlerRivers) is one of the top corners in the country. Physical, instinctive, and a strong tackler — he checks a lot of boxes. I expect he’ll be a hot name come April 2026. 🔒🔥#BlueDevils pic.twitter.com/TiHVfWPeFq
— Bryan (@BGauvin23) May 11, 2025
Rivers ranked 44th out of 533 defenders in passer rating allowed in zone. His five interceptions and five pass breakups in 2024, combined with just one penalty across two seasons, also indicate his discipline and playmaking ability. Rivers’ size may raise concerns, but his record suggests he knows how to work around it.
Alexander’s Departure May Sting Packers Later
The Packers’ decision to release Alexander was nothing but a shocker. The 28-year-old, a first-round pick in 2018, was a two-time Pro Bowler but missed 10 or more games in three of his last four seasons due to injuries.
His $24.64 million cap hit in 2025 prompted Green Bay to absorb a $7.52 million dead cap hit this year, with an additional $9.52 million in 2026, saving $17.12 million in 2025 and $17.49 million in 2026.
The move was divisive. Green Bay drafted cornerback Micah Robinson in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, leaving rookies Robinson and Kalen King to help fill Alexander’s role. Despite the frustration, the financial flexibility gained thanks to the $17.49 million in 2026 cap space offers hope for future signings.
Green Bay’s pass defense, ranked 14th in 2024, leaned heavily on Alexander’s elite man-coverage skills when he was healthy. However, with the team running just 39.16% man coverage, Rivers’ zone skills will fit right in with defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s vision.
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Current starters Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine have shown promise, but neither matches Rivers’ ball production. His five picks in 2024 would have led the Packers’ secondary.
General manager Brian Gutekunst defended the Alexander release, saying it was a call that needed to be made for the team’s future. Even in such tumultuous times, analysts, including our in-house experts, believe Rivers’ addition could stabilize a program facing uncertainty.