In 2024, the Green Bay Packers, somewhat surprisingly, had a top 10 defense. They were sixth in total yards allowed, 13th against the pass and seventh against the run, and Green Bay had the sixth-best scoring defense, allowing just 19.9 points a game. Despite this impressive season that helped the team win 11 games and make the playoffs, the Packers defense is entering 2025 with quite a few question marks.
After letting go of Jaire Alexander, everyone is curious about the secondary, but that isn’t the only unit that will have something to prove when the season starts. PFF recently released a ranking of all 32 linebacker units, and the Packers were ranked 18. While in the bottom half of the league, 18 isn’t that low. The real issue was that Edgerrin Cooper was considered the only sure player in the group.
With Cooper only 15 games into his NFL career, he will enter his sophomore season with the pressure of carrying a linebacker unit.
Edgerrin Cooper is expected to lead Packers 18th-ranked linebacker unit
PFF’s Dalton Wasserman explained that Cooper is on his way to being a star after a promising rookie season, but the Packers don’t have any other established linebackers lining up alongside him.
"The Packers appear to have an emerging star in 2024 second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper. He appeared in 15 games last season and posted an 85.7 PFF overall grade that ranked fifth among qualified linebackers. Finding quality answers alongside Cooper will be the Packers’ biggest challenge. Quay Walker has struggled to a 54.5 PFF overall grade since entering the league in 2022. Isaiah McDuffie has posted a nearly identical 55.4 mark in that span.Dalton Wasserman (PFF)
Perhaps someone like veteran newcomer Isaiah Simmons can help, but the Packers lack depth in their linebacker room as currently constructed."
The sentiment that Cooper is on the verge of a breakout year has been expressed all offseason by numerous analysts. Everyone seemingly took note of what he did as a rookie, so there’s excitement surrounding his name going into year two. While it’s great the Packers have a promising young linebacker, it is important to remember he’s only entering his second season.
Cooper very well could establish himself as a star in 2025, but he could also have a sophomore slump. Additionally, while he appeared in 15 games as a rookie, he did have two separate injuries that sidelined him or a bit, with one coming in training camp. Hopefully, Cooper will be able to stay healthy and avoid a regression, but the Packers still need someone else to step up in the linebacker room.
The Packers did sign Isaiah Simmons this offseason, so maybe he could be the guy. This could also be the year that 2022 first-round pick Quay Walker puts it all together. Whoever it is that steps up, Green Bay can’t afford for Edgerrin Cooper to be the only bright spot of the group.