The Green Bay Packers have their bye week on the slate for Week 13, and that added rest could end up paying dividends for the team. The Packers host the Bears in Week 14, and they could end up getting two key defensive cogs back for the NFC North showdown. According to NFL Talk, Za'Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander could be healthy enough to take the field for the Dec. 12 showdown.
Packers’ LB Za’Darius Smith and CB Jaire Alexander could in fact be ready to play next week vs. the Bears, per source.
GB plans on seeing how they look and feel next week during practice before determining their status, but looks like they both have a chance to return.
— NFL Talk (@NFL_Talk_Sports) December 3, 2021
Alexander has been on IR since Week 4 after suffering a sprained AC joint while making a tackle against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The DB did not undergo surgery for the ailment in hopes of making it back onto the field in 2021, and it looks like he has a good chance of doing so against the Bears. Alexander was the Packers' first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and has been a mainstay in the secondary since then, featuring in 46 games and recording five interceptions, 44 pass defenses, and 188 tackles.
As for Smith, the defensive end featured in just 29% of the team's snaps in Week 1 before leaving the game. He underwent back surgery and has not played since, though this latest update would mark a significant step in his recovery.
Smith, 29, has been with the Packers since 2019. He's started 32 games in Green Bay's defense, recording 108 tackles and 26.5 sacks. The former Baltimore Ravens' fourth-round pick recorded one tackle in 2021 before hitting the shelf, but it seems as if he'll be ready to go in due time.
Even without the pair of star defenders, the Packers have managed to build themselves a comfortable lead in the division. At 9-3, a matchup against the injury-riddled Bears could be an ideal scenario for Smith and Alexander to get their first taste of game action since the early part of the season.
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