The Green Bay Packers‘ defense allowed 39 points to the Minnesota Vikings, but it is hard to blame the unit too much for the loss. They held up well, but the offense put them in some tough situations in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was one of the biggest bright spots of the Packers’ Week 1 performance.
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon made it clear that Cooper was ‘lights out’ in the game. His stock remains firmly up despite the loss.
“I thought he was lights out,” said Gannon. “He’s all over the place. Deployed him a couple different ways. Made a lot of plays for us. He definitely impacted the game in a positive way.”
Green Bay Packers Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper Has Strong Week 1
Cooper played 65 snaps. According to PFF, only 46 were in a traditional linebacker spot. He played 17 snaps on the edge and snaps closer to the slot in the secondary.
Head coach Matt LaFleur discussed how valuable it is to have a player who can be utilized in that manner.
“That presents a lot of challenges in regards to where is he going to align, and then he is just a playmaker out there,” added LaFleur, who sees the advantages as an offensive mind. “He is a really talented player that I think is just scratching the surface.”
Bill Huber of Packers OnSI called Cooper one of the stock-up players despite the loss. He also added that Cooper was impacting the game in all areas.
“Cooper had seven tackles, one sack and two tackles for losses,” wrote Huber. “A half-sack was waved off by a defensive penalty. Next Gen Stats charged him with two completions allowed but for only 8 yards. Plus, he was a big reason why the Vikings averaged 3.1 yards per carry.”
This could become the breakout season the Packers needed from Cooper.
Packers Are Seeing Cooper Ascend
Some would say that Cooper already broke out last year. Still, the second-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft has not quite gotten the league recognition yet. The start of his 2026 season shows he might start to get that credit.
Cooper only started in four games as a rookie and played 549 defensive snaps. He got his feet wet, but did not have a big role. Still, he played well enough to finish sixth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
However, he jumped up to 1,089 snaps as a full-time starter in his second NFL season. Cooper had 118 tackles. Still, he went from 3.5 sacks to 0.5. The mission for Gannon was to continue to utilize his potential as a pass rusher while also keeping him productive at linebacker.
It is only one game, but so far he is highlighting the best of Cooper, and Cooper is taking advantage. We will see what type of national attention will come for Cooper if he continues to play well.
Packers Coach Says Rising Defender Was ‘Lights Out’