Packers Depth Called Into Question at Key Position 1 Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) runs against Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) during the first half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.

Packers Depth Called Into Question at Key Position

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 3:45 PM ET

The Packers added a potentially elite playmaker with Edgerrin Cooper’s arrival in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but as the 2025 season nears, Green Bay’s linebacking corps leaves much to be desired.

While coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme places a priority on elite secondary play, and safety Xavier McKinney became an All-Pro for the first time in his career, in his first season with the Packers in 2024, at least one analyst believes Green Bay hasn’t done nearly enough to upgrade at linebacker.

Packers’ Depth at Linebacker a Major Worry Ahead of 2025 Season

Over at Pro Football Focus, Dalton Wasserman put together a list ranking every team’s linebackers, with the Packers checking in at a meager 18th in the NFL.

“The Packers appear to have an emerging star in 2024 second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper,” Wasserman writes for PFF . “He appeared in 15 games last season and posted an 85.7 PFF overall grade that ranked fifth among qualified linebackers. Finding quality answers alongside Cooper will be the Packers’ biggest challenge. Quay Walker has struggled to a 54.5 PFF overall grade since entering the league in 2022. Isaiah McDuffie has posted a nearly identical 55.4 mark in that span.

“Perhaps someone like veteran newcomer Isaiah Simmons can help, but the Packers lack depth in their linebacker room as currently constructed.”

Packers News: Brian Gutekunst Names 2 All-Rookie Team Members He's Excited Seeing Together 1 Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) celebrates a tackle for a three-yard loss during the second quarter of their game Monday, December 23, 2024 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Green Bay Packers beat the New Orleans Saints 34-0.

Cooper looks like a foundational centerpiece of Green Bay’s defense, but finding complementary players at the position has been a challenge for general manager Brian Gutekunst and staff.

Walker could play an outsized role in the linebacking corps making strides this season, and if Cooper builds on his dominant rookie season, Green Bay could conceivably climb these rankings next summer.

Packers Plan Big Moves After Clearing $17M: Who’s Next in Green Bay? 1 Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) before action against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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