Finalists for eight of The Associated Press' most prestigious 2024 NFL awards were announced on Thursday, and for the third straight season, the Green Bay Packers don't have a player in the top five of any category.
The last time Green Bay had a finalist was after the 2021 campaign when Aaron Rodgers won his fourth NFL MVP and finished fourth in the Offensive Player of the Year vote. Matt LaFleur also took second in the Coach of the Year voting that season, finishing behind only the Tennessee Titans' Mike Vrabel.
Now, to be fair, in seven of the eight categories this season, the Packers didn't have a player or coach worthy of being a finalist.
When it comes to Defensive Rookie of the Year, however, standout linebacker Edgerrin Cooper could very well have a legitimate gripe over being snubbed from this list of finalists:
- Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Braden Fiske, DE, Los Angeles Rams
- Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Chop Robinson, LB, Miami Dolphins
- Jared Verse, LB, Los Angeles Rams
It's not that these five don't deserve recognition, as each had a fantastic rookie season. Verse was even selected to the Pro Bowl, one of just three rookies to earn the honor and the only defensive player to do so. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers were also selected.
The consensus seems to be that Cooper simply didn't take enough defensive snaps to be considered. And perhaps that's valid.
As the second-round pick was only used sparingly on defense in the first few weeks of the season and then missed three games just after the midway point of the year, he ultimately took just 45.1% of Green Bay's defensive snaps.
Truth be told, though, that makes Cooper's season look that much more impressive. Despite the limited snaps, his numbers still stack up nicely against those of the five finalists.
Comparing Edgerrin Cooper to the five finalists for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Here's a quick look at some stats from the 2024 regular season for Cooper and the five finalists.
Stat | Cooper | DeJean | Fiske | Mitchell | Robinson | Verse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Games | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 |
Tackles | 87 | 51 | 44 | 46 | 26 | 66 |
Tackles For Loss | 13 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
QB Hits | 7 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 18 |
Sacks | 3.5 | 0.5 | 8.5 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 4.5 |
INTs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Passes Defended | 4 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 2 |
Forced Fumbles | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Fumble Recoveries | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
To be clear, we're fully aware that comparing Cooper, an off-the-ball linebacker, to cornerbacks, interior defenders, and edge rushers is challenging, as each position is obviously different.
But that doesn't change the fact that of these six players, Cooper ranks first in tackles, tackles for loss, and interceptions. He's also tied for first with DeJean and Verse with four turnover plays, those being fumbles, fumble recoveries, and interceptions.
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The tackles for loss specifically stand out, as off-the-ball linebackers typically shouldn't have more than defensive linemen. But Cooper, whose 13 were the most by an off-the-ball rookie linebacker since Lavonte David had 20 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, exceeded the totals of Verse, Fiske, and Robinson.
He was also the only rookie in 2024 and just the fourth since the turn of the century with at least three sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Furthermore, Cooper was the only player in the NFL, rookies or otherwise, to record at least 80 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and three sacks.
Trust us; we could keep going. And again, let's not forget that all of this was accomplished in 14 games and 45.1% of the Packers' defensive snaps. Edgerrin Cooper may not have won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he undoubtedly deserved to be included among the finalists.