Green Bay Packers
· 2026-07-09
Green Bay Packers rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is the most likely first-year player to win a starting job out of training camp. The Packers sit 7th in the National Football Conference with a 9-7-1 record, currently on a four-game losing streak. Their next game is against the Minnesota Vikings on September 13, 2026.
Cooper, a second-round pick out of Texas A&M, brings sideline-to-sideline speed the Packers defense has lacked. At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, he can cover tight ends and running backs — a skill that jumps out on film.
Green Bay's linebacker room is thin. Quay Walker is the only locked-in starter. Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson are solid but not difference-makers. Cooper's athleticism gives defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley a new weapon.
He needs to show he can handle NFL play-calling duties. At Texas A&M, he played mostly as a weak-side backer in a 4-2-5 scheme. The Packers ask their linebackers to make pre-snap adjustments and communicate coverages.
Cooper also has to stay healthy. He missed time in college with a groin injury. If he can get through camp without setbacks, the job is his to lose.
With Cooper on the field, Hafley can blitz more. Walker is a downhill thumper. Cooper is a chase-and-tackle guy who can also drop into zone. That combo gives Green Bay flexibility on early downs.
The Packers gave up 24.5 points per game last season. That ranked 20th in the NFL. Adding a rookie who can run and cover should help cut that number.
The Packers open the season against the Vikings at Lambeau Field. That game will tell us a lot about where this defense stands. Cooper will likely get first-team reps from Day 1 of camp.
If he wins the job, he becomes the first Packers rookie linebacker to start Week 1 since A.J. Hawk in 2006. That's the kind of pressure Cooper says he welcomes.
Green Bay needs to snap that four-game losing streak. A fast start against Minnesota could set the tone for the whole season. Cooper might be the key to making that happen.