Don’t Forget About Edgerrin Cooper and What He Can Add to the Packers Defense
By GilMartin
The Green Bay Packers will open the 2025 season Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Detroit Lions. After the recent blockbuster trade with the Cowboys, most of the attention has been understandably been focused on Micah Parsons. Parsons gives the Packers an elite pass rusher who can really improve the defense. But Parsons isn’t the only defensive weapon the team has in their starting lineup. Fans would be wise not to overlook the potential contributions of second-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper who could very well develop into another impact player for Jeff Hafley’s defense.
Cooper showed a lot of potential in his rookie season. While the second round pick out of Texas A&M only started four games, he truly made an impact when he was on the field. He made 87 tackles including 13 tackles for loss. In addition, Cooper made big plays including 3.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and his first career interception.
Still, Cooper only played 55 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in the 14 games he played. The biggest thing that kept him off the field was a lack of understanding of his assignments. Cooper needed more time to learn the playbook and for his responsibilities to become second nature.
But more will be expected of Cooper in his second season. He certainly appears to be more confident in his assignments and put on almost 10 pounds of muscle to help him take the pounding of a 17-game NFL regular season.
Head coach Matt LaFleur noticed a difference in Cooper as soon as OTAs. “He's so much more confident. Certainly, his body looks different. He's like 240 pounds now,” LaFleur told reporters. “The added weight, and he still looks like he's moving as good as he did a year ago. I'm really excited about him. Just his understanding of the detail of what he's supposed to do and those around him, that's going to allow him to play that much faster, which is pretty exciting.”
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley also sees a difference in Cooper as he readies for his second season with the team. “Now it's lining up exactly where he needs to line up and doing it over and over and over again because then he's gonna show up faster and he's going to make more plays and he's going to become a more consistent player,” Hafley said during training camp. “When you see him now, he looks different. I mean, he's bigger now. He's got to be close to 240 pounds and this year two for him. He knows what it's going to take. He knows what he has to do now to stay healthy. You can tell he's dedicated that time into caring for his body and changed his body and now when you sit with him in that room it's, I mean, he's locked in, and he's focused. Now he knows what he's doing. You're first rookie year you're kind of in survival mode a little bit, too.”
Cooper has outstanding speed and burst, which allows him to penetrate the line of scrimmage and make plays whether it’s stopping the run or pressuring the quarterback. With Cooper and Quay Walker, the Packers will now have two starting linebackers with great athleticism. This will give Hafley the opportunity to disguise formations and coverages as opposing offenses won’t necessarily know which linebacker will be blitzing or who will be dropping back into coverage.
Hafley hinted he would be scheming up formations that would allow Cooper to make big plays. “I think you’ll see some fun stuff pop up,” he said.
If Cooper can make a second year jump this season, he would give the Packers another playmaker on defense. With Parsons and Xavier McKinney already being proven playmakers, Cooper could give the Packers at least one impact player at each level of the defense.
Scouts and coaches are confident Cooper can take his game to the next level. LaFleur said it best at the conclusion of last season when he told Matt Schniedman of The Athletic, “I think he's got superstar potential, I really do.”
Now it’s up to Cooper to realize that potential. If he does, it could have a huge impact on the Green Bay defense in 2025 and beyond.
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You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
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Comments (24)
Snap the ball
September 06, 2025 at 10:43 am
Evan Williams. Bullard. Cooper. X
Sweet sweet Valentine
D Wyatt
LVN
K Nixon
KB. Aka kick blocker. Brooks
Gary could be scary
Wooden CW
Hooper
The Mike
Without Parsons in good shape
Quay Walker. Tackling machine
Snap the ball
September 06, 2025 at 10:47 am
I think Anderson gets a pick if he plays
Snap the ball
September 06, 2025 at 11:01 am
Forgot Hobbs
He will.
The Hobbs meter.
How many picks he get this year
Coldworld
September 06, 2025 at 10:49 am
Earlier in the summer Kenny Clark talked about the roles in the front 7 changing some what between positions. Of course Kenny is gone now, but he referenced a change in philosophy involving the middle of the line. To me that necessarily affects ILB objectives.
It’s going to be interesting to see what Covington and Hafley have in mind as well as just watching Cooper grow. My inference from Kenny Clark’s comments was that they will be more aggressive. With Clark having been traded the reliance on Wooden and Stackhouse to replace him would only seem to provide more impetus towards a more assertive use of the ILBs.
To me that’s not just exciting for Cooper but also Walker and hopefully Hopper and Parsons at times. Hopefully this does play to what they do best. The tricky part is getting there without constantly exposing us to slants and the like behind them.
PackfanNY
September 06, 2025 at 10:58 am
Walker, Cooper, LVN etc. should all be excited and ready to EAT. You can double Parsons and maybe Rashan Gary. However you can’t double everyone. If Hafley can’t get these guys to deliver we have a problem. I am betting they will. Our defense should be a problem for everyone.
Snap the ball
September 06, 2025 at 11:06 am
Lions under center a lot and play action crossing routes if he has time to throw. Or the screen game
I’m curious how they will use the tight ends.
New lions coach from Ndsu coach. tight ends coach. At North Dakota state they ran a lot 12 personnel
Want to see what they do with that
They ran the ball a lot off tackles
NickPerry
September 06, 2025 at 11:15 am
Personally I was stoked about Coopers possibilities BEFORE the Packers landed Parsons. Cooper IMO was already going to be a big weapon for the Packers defense this season. Now with Parsons, with Coopers speed, opposing OC's are going to have a hard time getting them both blocked up. With both on the field rushing at the same time, QBs will be on their asses before they know what hit them.
WestCoastPackerBacker
September 06, 2025 at 12:33 pm
Stoked?
TKWorldWide
September 06, 2025 at 03:30 pm
Fully stoked, as in, no empty space on the shelves, baby!
LeotisHarris
September 06, 2025 at 04:19 pm
Don't forget to face the products after you've stocked.
NickPerry
September 07, 2025 at 05:02 am
Thank you... Think I better proof read before hitting submit comment...
TKWorldWide
September 07, 2025 at 10:41 am
Heh heh
We’re all about those shenanigans, boss!
PackerBackerAZ
September 06, 2025 at 06:36 pm
Cooper isn't going to rush anywhere close to every down he and Parsons are on the field. The goal should be to have success rushing with four and having seven in coverage. One of the seven to spy out the qb if they're mobile.
I, too, am stoked about this Packer team. With decent health, I can't see any way they don't win another Lombardi.
PackEyedOptimist
September 06, 2025 at 12:15 pm
I’m with you, NP! I’d add Quay to the fast-blitzer threats, and Hopper could be great at it because he’s a fumble-causer!
splitpea1
September 06, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Believe me, no one has forgotten him. Let's hope our DL is up to the task of keeping our LBs clean and able to make plays.
PackEyedOptimist
September 06, 2025 at 12:21 pm
I picked ILB Jihaad Campbell with our first round pick in this draft, because I thought he was a Cooper clone who would turbo our pass rush and TFLs.
As it turns out, we got a great WR prospect AND added a “Cooper clone +” in Parsons!
I’m pretty excited.
TKWorldWide
September 06, 2025 at 03:32 pm
Wait…didn’t Philly pick him?
SicSemperTyrannis
September 06, 2025 at 08:47 pm
Yes but have you stocked extra excitement?
Leatherhead
September 06, 2025 at 01:02 pm
In those simulations I ran, I took Cooper in the second round so many times it was almost automatic. And that's exactly the way the draft fell and I've been happy ever since. It only took a few games for him to force his way onto the field and he's been a main piece of the defense ever since. I think he's going to have a great season in the middle of a great defense.
PackEyedOptimist
September 06, 2025 at 02:56 pm
I took Campbell, and loved the pick, but with Parsons now, I'd happily have traded for Golden.
I was VERY excited when the Packers took Savion in the third, as I did as well.
My second round pick was very disappointing. I REALLY wanted CB Ben Morrison, then PITT took him right before us. I argued between CB Darien Porter and DL Darius Alexander. I took Alexander, but it didn't make me happy. Alexander is getting mixed reviews so far.
TKWorldWide
September 06, 2025 at 10:05 pm
But with YOUR coaching staff, Alexander would be excelling! 😄
Tundraboy
September 06, 2025 at 05:12 pm
To me Cooper was the brightest of spots by season end, And I must admit my favorite player on D heading into this year. It was all on display, he just has all the athleticism it takes in the world, the apparent heart and desire to be the best version of himself, which we need.to make the leap as a team, to be champions again. Now with Parsons and everyone else having another year of experience, I'm beside myself with excitement for this season. GPG. I hope everyone, players, coaches and everyone else on the team comes out ready and on fire tomorrow.
Bearmeat
September 07, 2025 at 02:16 am
This team is fully loaded and ready to go. It’s time to show it on the field starting with exorcising the demons of the past three years. Beat the Honolulu blue kittens!.
LambeauPlain
September 07, 2025 at 07:06 am
Don't worry Gil...I don't think anyone here has forgotten about Cooper.
Hafley seems so adept at coaching up players and then playing WHEN they are ready...not playing too early and seeing them stumble, hoping they get ready by making mistakes.
It took Cooper half a season to earn Hafley's trust to play more, eventually start. Edge rewarded the DC with prolific production. If there is one area where Cooper may be better than Parsons, it may be his vision and break to the ball and tackling the ball carrier to the ground. He's so fast, cat quick, and great tackling technique.
I am hopeful, based on the preseason, that Hopper is near that competence level with Hafley now...although it took the LB a bit longer to get there.
With Parsons sitting in a chair for significant game planning sessions, this is the best Packer LB room in my lifetime.