Green Bay, Wisconsin – During their Week 1 loss to the Eagles, the Green Bay Packers determined that rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper needed to play more.
“We were simply like, ‘All right, hey, he’s got to go out there,” coach Matt LaFleur said last week. “And he began making plays. There will be some bumps in the way. It is present in every young player. So don’t let it dissuade you. If he makes mistakes, you have to keep it moving, advise him, and teach him.”
Eric Wilson, a veteran linebacker, played only eight snaps in Sunday’s victory over the Colts but had the most influence on the defense./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73589115/2172216524.0.jpg)
“Eric Wilson was himself today. After the game, CB Jaire Alexander simply stated, “He was Him.”
Throughout the offseason and training camp, the Packers practiced their base 4-3 defense with Quay Walker at middle linebacker, Isaiah McDuffie at strong-side linebacker, and Wilson at weak-side linebacker. Cooper, the second-round choice and first linebacker taken in this year’s draft, contended with Wilson for the starting job.
Walker and McDuffie were the two linebackers that were replaced by a fifth defensive back in nickel situations.
The Packers’ conundrum going into Sunday’s game at the Tennessee Titans is that Wilson has been the team’s most effective linebacker, while Cooper has the potential.
“There’s only so many snaps to go around, and I’m very grateful we didn’t play 80 snaps again like we did in Week 1,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said Thursday. “So, if we can do it again, I’ll definitely go with playing less snaps every game. If Matt wants to run the ball 54 times in one game, I’ll be the first to congratulate him.
The Colts played only 53 offensive snaps on Sunday. Because their main offensive package includes three receivers, Green Bay used nickel defense for the majority of the game to match up.
Walker played all 56 snaps, including penalty plays; Wilson played only eight, and Cooper played seven.
However, Hafley showed indications of improvement against the Colts.The Packers lined up three times, with Walker flanked by Wilson and Cooper. Walker and Cooper took another three snaps as nickel linebackers.
“There’s only so many plays and packages, but we need to play him more,” Hafley said of Cooper. “I believe you will witness an increase in his numbers when we arrive next week. We’re beginning to see that he excels at specific tasks, and we need to capitalize on it.”
Cooper’s performance is critical to the defense’s long-term success. Wilson, on the other hand, is a more established commodity. He had an excellent training camp and beat Cooper for the starting role.
His eight snaps against the Colts included a forced fumble against Jonathan Taylor late in the third quarter, a crucial third-and-1 stop on a quarterback option to begin the fourth quarter, and a critical interception with approximately 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Hafley was pumped up over Wilson’s performance.
“For the eight plays that he played, holy cow, what a game he had,” Hafley told the audience. “That TFL he made when they checked the speed option and we kicked it backward is one of the game’s major plays right there. Then there was the interception he made on the seam ball. He appeared on the screen, and you can see the ball on the sidelines.
Do you see the effort that he had and the way he punched it? That’s how the guy practices and we should’ve gotten that ball, too.”
Wilson had a fantastic season with the Vikings in 2020, recording 122 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions. Wilson did, however, have 94 tackles, zero interceptions, and zero forced fumbles with the Eagles and Texans in 2021, as well as the Packers in 2022 and 2023.
With Hafley, Wilson has demonstrated that he is more than simply a key special teams player.
“It means a lot to have the opportunity, first and foremost, and then go out there and make the most of the opportunity,” Mr. Wilson stated. “As I’ve previously stated, it makes no difference whether you’re on special teams or defense. I am going to give it my all. It’s great to be out there and make plays for our team.”
While Cooper and Wilson deserve more playing time, Walker, the former first-round choice, will be the unit’s – and possibly the entire defense’s – crucial player. He leads the club with 17 tackles and had a chance to make the game-winning interception against the Colts last week.
However, he has yet to establish himself as a consistent game-changer.
“I love where Quay is, not just where he could be. “I’m even more excited about where Quay will be,” Hafley explained. “There are some plays that make you go, ‘Wow.'” Look at that. That is exactly what we are talking about. You’re also talking about a player who’s playing in a whole new scheme and is seeing a lot of different things for the first time.”The way he works, the way he practiced today, I’m very enthusiastic about where he’ll be. I’m quite happy with him right now and confident in him.”
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