3 Changes Packers Must Make After Unconvincing Week 5 Win

2. Changing of the Guard at Inside Linebacker

There’s no sugarcoating it—Green Bay’s linebacker corps is becoming a glaring weakness, and the duo of Isaiah McDuffie and Quay Walker is at the heart of the problem.

Quay Walker, a former first-round pick, was supposed to be the Packers’ next defensive anchor. Instead, he’s become the cautionary tale of why using a premium draft pick at a non-premium position can backfire.

Walker's physical gifts—his speed, size, and athleticism—are undeniable, but they’re constantly overshadowed by his inability to diagnose plays in real time. His slow reactions make him a step behind the action, forcing him to chase down ball-carriers well past the line of scrimmage, which neutralizes the very traits that made him such a tantalizing prospect in the first place.

Isaiah McDuffie has also struggled but for different reasons. He doesn’t possess Walker’s raw athleticism and, as a result, has even less margin for error. McDuffie is a serviceable depth piece and a reliable special teamer, but he’s proven over the course of this season that asking him to play meaningful snaps on defense is a liability.

The Packers can’t afford to keep relying on these two underperforming veterans. It’s time for the coaching staff to make the hard call and begin transitioning to their younger talent at linebacker.

Edgerrin Cooper has shown more in limited action than Walker or McDuffie have all season. Cooper’s ability to read plays and his aggressive instincts are immediately noticeable when he’s on the field.

In Week 5, he played a season-high 30 snaps and looked the part of a starter. Yes, there will be growing pains, but Cooper’s upside is too tantalizing to keep him on the sidelines. He’s already demonstrated a higher football IQ than the players ahead of him, and his athleticism pops off the screen—he just needs more reps to refine his game.