Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper had a strong rookie season in 2024. The Texas A&M alum made the NFL’s All-Rookie Team despite starting just four games. His speed, nose for the football, and ability to make big plays helped him overcome some rookie mistakes and made him a real playmaker. In year two, the Packers hope Edgerrin Cooper can improve and reach his Pro Bowl potential.
Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper Looks to Reach His Pro Bowl Potential: A Promising Rookie Year
Cooper’s rookie season got off to a slow start. He was hampered by injuries in training camp. The Packers didn’t play him much early because he was a bit behind when it came to learning the defensive system because he missed so many reps early.
Despite the slow start, whenever he was in the lineup, Cooper made an impact. He finished his rookie season with 87 total tackles which placed him sixth on the team despite playing just 14 games and 55 percent of the team’s defensive snaps in those games.
But the big plays Cooper made were the difference. He made 3.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits, using his speed to put pressure on opposing signal callers. Cooper also led the Packers with 13 tackles for loss, recovered two fumbles and forced one. He also intercepted his first career NFL pass.
Fans were wondering why Cooper wasn’t on the field more often. But there was a reason. “We sometimes joked about how he might’ve had [one] gap, but he made the play over there [in another gap], right,” recalled defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. “Like, there was a toss run over there that, instead of going over the top of the blocker, somehow he ran underneath the blocker and still made a TFL.”
As he learned the defense better, he saw more playing time.
Cooper Prepares for Year Two
Because he missed time due to injuries and realized the toll a full NFL season takes on your body, Cooper put on roughly 10 pounds of muscle over the offseason. He hoped to add strength and durability without compromising his speed and acceleration. He played at 229 pounds as a rookie but arrived at OTAs this spring at 240 pounds.
Head coach Matt LaFleur was impressed. “He’s so much more confident. Certainly, his body looks different. He’s like 240 pounds now,” the coach told reporters at OTAs. “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. He looks as explosive as I’ve seen him. We’re really fired up about that.”
Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper Looks to Reach His Pro Bowl Potential: Looking Ahead
The Packers players and coaches are optimistic that Cooper can take his game to a higher level in his second NFL season. If that’s so, he has Pro Bowl potential.
“He had a hell of a first year, and he’s just going to keep building,” safety Xavier McKinney said when asked about Cooper. “Obviously, he’s got the guys around him to be able to help him to continue to keep improving. And he knows how talented he is. So, we’ve just got to keep pushing him, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. But for the most part, he’s self-motivated. We already know what he’s capable of and what he wants to do, and even just coming in [this offseason], he got bigger. You could tell that he’s serious about what he wants to do, and he’s being very intentional about it as well. So, I expect more from him. We all do. And I know he expects that for himself as well.”
The Packers expect Cooper to start next to Quay Walker at linebacker with the third linebacker spot still open. Walker and Cooper would give the team two speedy, athletic linebackers who can cover a lot of ground on the field to stop the run, blitz the quarterback, or drop back into coverage. This could help the defense make more game-changing plays like sacks, tackles for loss and turnovers.
For Cooper, the sky appears to be the limit. Late last year, LaFleur said, “I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he could become in this league.” This season, we’ll see if LaFleur is right.
