On Thursday, Green Bay Packers beat reporter Tom Silverstein asked Jeff Hafley whether Edgerrin Cooper’s ability to shoot gaps is a prescribed part of the scheme or if he is encouraged to trust his instincts and attack when he sees an opening.
“He’s an instinctual player,” Hafley said.
Most of the time, he’s where he’s supposed to be, but if he sees an opportunity to shoot a gap and make the play before it reaches his assignment, he’ll take it. We’ve pressured him a lot, which helps because he’s excellent at getting to the football. For the most part, though, he’s in the right spot. Sometimes, his instincts allow him to react quicker than most players. You know what I mean?
I totally understand what people see. If you watch the TV copy of him, you could make a 12-play cut-up, and it’s just like, ‘Whoa.’ The way he tracks people down, weaves through gaps, and shows up behind the line of scrimmage – it’s impressive. There are plays where it looks like the ball is heading in one direction, but somehow, he dives inside, beats it, and makes the tackle before it develops. He’s got a lot of natural ability, and he’s improving every week. Last week, he played the most snaps he’s ever played.
Silverstein noted that the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line seemed to slide their protection toward Cooper. He then asked if lining Cooper up on the edge could be a way to maximize his pass rush.
“There are a lot of things we can do to maximize his pass rush,” Hafley noted. “I think we’re just scratching the surface. We did some fun things with him today that he looked pretty good at doing, but I’m not going to tell you what it is. We’ll have to wait and see it on film one of these days.”
It seems like Hafley hinted that the Packers are designing a special package for Cooper featuring something not yet seen on film. What could that be?
Cooper is coming off a 10-tackle, four-tackle-for-loss performance against the Minnesota Vikings, becoming the first rookie since Micah Parsons in 2021 to accomplish such a feat. He leads all rookies with 12 tackles for loss despite playing only 52% of Green Bay’s defensive snaps.
Pro Football Focus ranks Cooper as the highest-rated linebacker in pass-rush grade. He has five pass rush grades of 75 or higher. He recorded three pressures, a sack, a QB hit, a hurry, and his first career interception against the Seattle Seahawks, earning Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance.
Cooper’s effectiveness speaks volumes about his ability to shoot gaps. However, we haven’t seen much of him winning with his hands as a pass rusher. Still, something about how he rushes the passer makes him look like a natural coming off the edge.
Green Bay ranks 26th in pass-rush win rate, per ESPN. Among edge rushers with at least 100 pass-rush snaps, Rashan Gary leads the team with a 12.8% win rate, placing 38th in the league. He’s also 32nd in pressures and 40th in QB hits.
Adding weight would be ideal if Cooper transitioned from an off-ball role to a full-time pass rusher. He’s listed at 6’2″, 229 lbs., while Parsons, often considered an undersized pass rusher, is listed at 245 lbs.
A potential drawback of moving Cooper to a pass-rushing role is that it would leave a gap in Green Bay’s linebacker corps. The Packers have struggled to defend the middle of the field, and Cooper is their best coverage linebacker. They’d need to assess if they can handle his absence inside while shifting him to pass rush.
Clay Matthews III started his career as a pass rusher before transitioning to an off-ball role, but Cooper might flip the script and go the other way. Either way, the Packers have a weapon in him. With Hafley’s defensive expertise, they’ll know how to maximize his talent.
Cooper could see more involvement in simulated pressures. He’s athletic enough to rush the passer and fast enough to drop into coverage. If Sunday’s game against Minnesota is any indication, teams will begin accounting for him as a rusher. That could create opportunities for more one-on-ones and allow Cooper to drop into spaces where the quarterback might not expect him to be.
Every Packers fan has already seen the image of Preston Smith lined up against Justin Jefferson. Whatever Green Bay’s plan for Cooper is, it likely doesn’t involve him dropping back to cover the opposing team’s top wide receiver. Cooper plays best when he’s near the line of scrimmage, and that’s where he should stay.
