"I don't know, Pete."
Those were the words of head coach Matt LaFleur when asked how the Green Bay Packers can replace Edgerrin Cooper, who reportedly suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Sunday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Same Matt, same.
The Packers have already suffered two crushing injuries this season, with right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele and wide receiver Jayden Reed lost for the year (not to mention that Micah Parsons likely won't return until November).
Cooper, though, is impossible to replace. The Packers will have to adjust, but this injury leaves a significant void in the middle of the defense, and we saw signs against the Buccaneers.
Packers immediately felt the loss of Edgerrin Cooper, and it will impact the entire season
There's nothing Cooper can't do. That's what makes him such a special player.
He proved that again against the Buccaneers with a game-changing interception of Jalon Daniels before halftime. It not only ended Tampa Bay's chance to take the lead, but it also put Green Bay in field-goal range before the interval.
The Packers felt the loss immediately, especially in the run game.
Packers with and without Edgerrin Cooper vs. Buccaneers' run game in Week 4
Yards per carry allowed | |
|---|---|
Before Edgerrin Cooper's injury | 3.4 YPC |
After Edgerrin Cooper's injury | 4.2 YPC |
Tampa Bay averaged almost a full yard per carry more once Cooper exited the game.
And it won't be the only way the Packers miss their rising star. Cooper is excellent in coverage, eliminates run plays with his speed and athleticism, and has already generated big plays as a blitzer in Jonathan Gannon's defense.
Cooper had two sacks, two quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, and an interception in the opening four games. He was only just getting started.
Now, the Packers have to somehow adjust without him.
How can the Packers replace Edgerrin Cooper?
LaFleur's deflated answer captured it. The reality is that the Packers can't replace Cooper.
Good luck finding a linebacker who can cover, who can tackle, who can defend the run, who can blitz. There aren't many in the NFL, and there certainly isn't another on the roster.
Zaire Franklin is an important leader and an excellent leader. He helps set the tone. But it's no exaggeration to say Franklin can be a liability in coverage – per PFF, quarterbacks have a 117.6 passer rating when throwing his way this season. It's not new, either, as his coverage grade ranked 86th among 88 linebackers in 2025.
Isaiah McDuffie is an experienced and capable backup. He is the next man up. McDuffie is solid in coverage, is a decent tackler, and can defend the run. He's a fine, high-end backup, low-level NFL starter.
He's not Edgerrin Cooper.
McDuffie can't wreck an opponent's drive the way Cooper can. Jonathan Gannon isn't going to regularly use him as a blitzer.
The Packers have 2024 third-round pick Ty'Ron Hopper, but he has only 145 career defensive snaps for a reason. The team has never trusted him to play a significant role on defense. Per PFF, Hopper missed 15.4 percent of his tackles last season, the most of any Packers linebacker.
Perhaps Brian Gutekunst will attack the position in free agency like he did the offensive line.
Six-time first-team All-Pro and 10-time Pro Bowler Bobby Wagner is an option. He proved he can still play at a high level last season, registering 4.5 sacks, nine QB hits, eight tackles for loss, six pass defenses, and two interceptions.
His PFF run-blocking grade ranked fifth among all linebackers, his pass-rush grade second. But Wagner is also 36 years old and still available for a reason. It's no guarantee he'd step in and replace Cooper's production at this stage of his career.
Time will tell.
In reality, though, losing Cooper is another sickening blow to the Packers' (fading) Super Bowl hopes. They've already lost Bako-Bewele and Reed. This one hurts even more.
How do they replace him? LaFleur's right: "I don't know, Pete."
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