Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper made a strong case as Defensive Rookie of The Year last season, had he stayed healthy, but appears to be picking up where he left off from a dominant 2024 campaign.
Cooper, originally chosen by the Packers with the No. 45 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, significantly outplayed his draft position as a rookie.
Looking to build on an 87-total tackle, one interception, and 3.5 sack rookie season, during the early stages of Packers OTA practices, Cooper seems primed to take another big step.
“Consistency,” Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley told the team’s official website is what impressed him most about Cooper this spring. “We talked and sometimes joked about he might’ve had that gap, but he made the play over there, right? 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.
“Now it’s getting the details down. 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. When you see him now, he looks different. I mean, he’s bigger now.”
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
The Packers have to be optimistic about Cooper’s trajectory and potential impact in 2025, especially given that he has the benefit of an entire offseason program ahead of his second season.
According to Hafley, not only is Cooper tackling this offseason with the consistency necessary to make some big strides but he’s added upwards of 11 pounds since the season ended.
He’s gotta be close to 240 pounds and this Year 2 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.
