Packers Top 5 Needs Heading Into 2025 Offseason

Packers #4 Need: Linebacker

Edgerrin Cooper is the only reason this position isn’t at the top of the list.

The rookie linebacker was one of the few bright spots on defense in 2024. He played fast, made plays all over the field, and looked like a future star. To be clear, he still had his share of rookie mistakes, but he did so going 100 miles per hour and with the potential of big-time plays. The potential is obvious, as the Packers finally found a difference-maker at linebacker.

But they still need help.

Quay Walker remains a mystery. He had some of his best games late in the season, but an injury cost him the final two games of the regular season before he returned for the playoffs. The Packers still don’t know if he’s a long-term solution and will have to make a decision on his fifth-year player option.

Beyond that, the depth is thin. Eric Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie are unrestricted free agents, and neither is a lock to return. Ty’Ron Hopper, a 2024 third-round pick, basically redshirted during his rookie season.

The Packers need to add at least one linebacker who can play significant defensive snaps and isn't a career special teamer. Cooper looks like a building block, but he needs a running mate. Green Bay has neglected this position for too long, and it showed last year.

Teams targeted the middle of the Packers’ defense all season, and it worked. If they want to fix that, they need to add more talent to this unit.