2025 All-NFC North Preseason Team: Cashman among the best in division

A training camp injury led the Packers to ease Cooper, a second-round pick and the first linebacker off the board in 2024, into the lineup to start the season. Another injury sidelined him for three games at midseason.

Nonetheless, in 493 snaps over 14 games, Cooper led all NFL rookies and all off-the-ball linebackers with 13 tackles for losses. Cooper played at least 71 percent of the defensive snaps in only two games but still recorded the most TFLs by a rookie off-the-ball linebacker since Lavonte David in 2012.

Cooper earned All-Rookie honors with 77 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 tackles for losses, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. That’s with 45.1 percent playing time. Double that to 90 percent playing time, and the numbers might have been staggering.

Cooper was the only player in the NFL last season with at least 75 tackles, 13 TFLs, three sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Plus, he became the first player since 2000 with at least 13 TFLs and 10 tackles on special teams. — Bill Huber, Packers On SI

Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings

Cashman was a top-20 linebacker in nearly every metric from Pro Football Focus (based on playing 50% of all snaps). He ranked 13th in overall defensive grade, 17th in run defense, 15th in tackling, 16th in pass rush, and 17th in coverage. He's a do-it-all linebacker who is the obvious head of the snake in Brian Flores' defensive scheme in Minnesota.

The Vikings went 14-3 in the regular season, but they didn't lose a game with Cashman in the lineup until Week 18 against the Lions. When he missed two games in a four-day span early in the season — a 31-29 loss to Detroit and a Thursday night loss on the road against the Rams — the Vikings were gouged over the middle of the field, where Cashman typically roams, by Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford.

Alex Anzalone, Detroit Lions

Since joining the Detroit Lions in 2021, Alex Anzalone has become a core player for the organization throughout its rebuild. After being mostly a rotational player in his time in New Orleans, Anzalone has stepped into a huge role in Detroit and made good on his opportunity.

The veteran had back-to-back seasons with over 100 combined tackles in 2022 and 2023,   and has been a multi-year defensive captain for the group. His presence in the middle of the defense clearly invigorates the unit, as shown by the team holding Minnesota to nine points in his return from injury in the regular season finale.

Anzalone is in an interesting situation, as he did not participate in the offseason workout program ahead of the final year of his current contract. Whether or not he gets a new deal will be one of the top storylines of training camp. — John Maakaron, Lions On SI

T.J. Edwards, Chicago Bears

T.J. Edwards' 2024 season was a step back from his first year playing in his home town but the Bears acknowledged what he means to the team with a two-year contract extension and the veterans Brian Piccolo Award. 

Edwards is not known for his speed and this could lead to questions about his fit in Dennis Allen's defense, one reliant on man-to-man coverage and blitzers more than Matt Eberflus' zone heavy approach. However, Edwards has shown he can adjust and is effective blitzing. Undrafted out of Wisconsin, he fought his way into the Eagles' lineup and remains the Bears' most consistent linebacker after a season when his tackle total dipped from 155 to 129, his fewest since 2020 in Philadelphia.

Edwards, who turns 29 this week, still made an impact on the weakside with a career-high four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and two recovered. It's possible he'll even switch to the middle linebacker spot at times according to offseason conjecture from Allen. — Gene Chamberlain, Bears On SI

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