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The Green Bay Packers had a surprising 2023-24 season and made it all the way to the Divisional Round of the playoffs after upsetting the Dallas Cowboys in the first round in Jordan Love’s debut season as a starter, and expectations are raised this year following last year’s impressive showing.
While last year’s defense was tenth in points allowed, the Packers were one of the league’s worst run defenses, though one rookie has been turning heads this offseason and could provide some help in that department.
Linebacker Quay Walker has already been impressed with rookie off-ball linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, saying “He’s showing flashes, getting downhill, playing, flying around.”
Packers’ Quay Walker: Rookie Edgerrin Cooper has been “showing flashes,” “flying around”https://t.co/xbVTwFF1IX pic.twitter.com/KNDzOecFrA
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) July 6, 2024
Walker added, “I just tell him, ‘Don’t do no thinking, bro. Just fly around. If you mess up, it is what it is. You a rookie. Just take what you can learn…and go from there.’”
Cooper was taken with the 45th overall pick out of Texas A&M, and at 6’3″ and 230 pounds he has the ability to add some thump to a defense that lacked it at times in 2023.
Cooper broke out for eight sacks in his senior year with the Aggies to go with 83 total tackles and a pair of forced fumbles.
He’ll have a chance to start right away as the mike linebacker right next to Walker if he continues to fly around as he has according to these reports.
Walker is still just 24 and continuing to improve in his own right, and it would be fun for Packers fans to see these two blossom alongside one another and hold down the middle of this defense for years to come.
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