There has been a lot of focus on the changes the Green Bay Packers made on their defense this offseason. One of the players who has drawn the most attention is rookie linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper.
A second-round pick out of Texas A&M, Edgerrin Cooper is in line to have a major role right from the start. With Jeff Hafley taking over the defense and changing to a 4-3 base, more emphasis will be put on the second line of defense.
That is part of the reason why Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman of PFF have highlighted the No. 45 overall pick as the rookie to watch for the Packers in 2024. Cooper will be integral to this transition from Joe Barry to Hafley being a successful one.
“De’Vondre Campbell departed for San Francisco this offseason, leaving a void next to Quay Walker at linebacker. Second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper is the most likely man to fill that spot. Cooper is an athletic presence who led all FBS linebackers with a 90.8 overall grade last season,” wrote Wyman and Wasserman.
That is a sizable void being left with Campbell’s departure. When healthy, he played at an All-Pro level. Availability had become an issue in recent seasons, as he missed at least four games in each of the last two seasons.
The Packers hope that Edgerrin Cooper can slide right into his role as a three-down linebacker alongside Quay Walker. The potential is off the charts given how athletic each player is. Success as run defenders and in pass coverage can be achieved with their skill sets.
As Wyman and Wasserman noted, Edgerrin Cooper was the highest-rated FBS linebacker in 2023, as he got the job done in every facet of the game. Given the league de-emphasizing the importance of linebackers in recent seasons, the Packers were able to hit on value and need in the second round, as the Texas A&M product was the first linebacker off the board.
