Expectations are high for Edgerrin Cooper, in the Packers linebacker’s third NFL season.
After Green Bay acquired veteran linebacker and tackle magnet Zaire Franklin, new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon hopes to turn Cooper loose as a freelancing chaos agent in the middle of the Packers’ defense.
Packers’ Edgerrin Cooper hopes to bounce back in big way
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After receiving All-Pro votes as a rookie, Cooper’s play took a bit of a step back in 2025.
Last season, Cooper still produced 64 tackles but only half a sack and failed to pull down an interception.
As the 2026 campaign nears, Cooper has a strong message for the rest of the NFL.
“I don’t want to be slept on no more or any of that,” Cooper told reporters. “I’ve been trying to grind, man. I’m trying to be the best at my position. Just do what I’ve got to do. I feel like it’s time. It’s been time.”
After finishing second on the team in tackles, Cooper sounds primed to make a big leap in his third season, and if he does, it will go a long way towards the Packers defense becoming one of the stingiest in the NFL.