5 Packers Leaving Green Bay in the New Year

3. Eric Wilson and/or Isaiah McDuffie

No position on the Packers' roster has faced more scrutiny than linebacker. Long a problem area for the team, Green Bay entered the 2024 season with a patchwork solution after moving on from the underperforming De’Vondre Campbell.

The result has been a mix of promising young talent and stopgap veterans stepping into roles they may not have been ready to fill full-time.

Quay Walker, the 2022 first-round pick, was supposed to be the centerpiece of the linebacking corps. With all the physical tools in the world, Walker flashes brilliance at times, but his struggles diagnosing plays often leave him out of position.

For much of the season, he looked more like a project than a finished product. Ironically, just as Walker began to turn the corner and play the best football of his career, he was sidelined by an injury.

Fortunately, rookie Edgerrin Cooper has been a revelation, providing a level of playmaking Green Bay hasn’t seen from the position in years.

He has the speed and instincts to attack the backfield, while his athleticism allows him to hold his own in coverage against tight ends and running backs. His emergence gives the Packers a cornerstone at linebacker moving forward.

Add in Ty’Ron Hopper, a third-round pick with upside who’s waiting for his opportunity, and Green Bay has the makings of a young, dynamic linebacker group.

That leaves the futures of Eric Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie in doubt. Both veterans have been admirable this season, filling in where needed and providing stability in a turbulent unit. However, neither is a long-term solution, and with Walker, Cooper, and Hopper under contract next season, Green Bay likely doesn’t have room for both Wilson and McDuffie.

The Packers could consider bringing one of them back if the price is right, but both players are set to hit unrestricted free agency and may be seeking a payday bump that Green Bay isn’t inclined to offer. The team has cheaper, higher-upside alternatives already on the roster, making it unlikely they’ll prioritize retaining either veteran.