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Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper

The Green Bay Packers could be seeing their third-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper turn into one of the biggest stars at his position. Cooper is one of the most likely players in the NFL to reach their first All-Pro in 2026, per Bradley Locker of PFF.

Cooper has been ascending in each of the past two years. He only started in four games as a rookie, but he played rotationally and finished sixth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year Voting. Cooper ascended to a full season of starting in 2025, and he logged 118 tackles. If he continues to take steps forward, the national praise will start to come, which is why he could be in line for an All-Pro season.

 The Green Bay Packers are Expecting Big Things from Edgerrin Cooper in 2026

One of the big reasons why Cooper might flourish might not even have to do with Cooper himself. It is the team moving on from Quay Walker and trading for Zaire Franklin. Walker is a quality starter, but can play too frenetically at times. Franklin is much more stable in the middle of the defense.

He took a step back in 2025, which is why Indianapolis traded him, but he made the Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro in 2024. He can help Cooper get to those heights, especially because he will be calling the plays for the defense.

Franklin has been a green dot since 2022 with the Colts and is a stable force when it comes to getting the defense aligned. The steady force should be beneficial to Cooper.

Cooper has not been asked to call plays, so it will help him maintain some stability to keep his role and not be asked to do more. Beyond that, he plays more of a read-and-react style of defense, so he would be best allowing Franklin to line him up and then getting after the football.

The Packers Need Stability at Linebacker Entering the 2026 Season

Cooper taking a step forward would be a strong grounding force for a defense that has a lot of shaking up. Micah Parsons is likely to miss time early in the season as he recovers from an ACL injury. Devonte Wyatt is working back from an injury as well. The team swapped out Colby Wooden for Javon Hargrave on the interior defense line and Walker for Franklin at linebacker.

At cornerback, they signed Benjamin St. Juste in free agency and drafted Brandon Cisse in round 2. Both of them could start, or at least shake up the cornerback room.

They have some other defenders who are coming back with limited questions, such as Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams. However, it is good to see the Packers are also likely going to get that from their former second-round pick. Even if Cooper does not quite hit the All-Pro ceiling, if he does take another step and is better than last year, he is going to be viewed as a quality player league-wide and the All-Pro might come sooner or later.