The Green Bay Packers’ off-ball linebacker corps is the position group with the least competition on their roster heading into training camp. Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper should open the season as starters, but who will line up alongside them in 4-3 looks is a mystery.
The remainder of Green Bay’s off-ball linebacker room includes Ty’Ron Hopper, Isaiah McDuffie, Isaiah Simmons, Kristian Welch, and Jamon Dumas-Johnson. McDuffie and Hopper were with the team last season. Still, McDuffie is the only one in that group with reliable starting experience, which could give him an early edge in the competition for depth roles.
McDuffie has been with the Packers since 2021. He’s average against the run but struggles in coverage. Last season, he posted a 46.4 coverage grade and gave up a 129.6 passer rating when targeted. Jeff Hafley coached him at Boston College and has praised his toughness. That trait, plus their connection, could boost his chances in the competition.
“You wanna talk about tough? I mean, that guy… you gotta give him so much credit for how much he cares about this team and how badly he wants to play football on a short week,” Hafley said about McDuffie’s ability to play through injuries following Green Bay’s Thanksgiving clash with the Miami Dolphins.
“To get his body ready to play in that game (vs. the Miami Dolphins), I mean, that guy is what is right about football, and it’s incredible what he was able to do. And then the way he played? I mean, that guy had some huge plays in the game.”
Last year, the Packers took Hopper in the third round of the draft. He appeared in only three games last year but didn’t start any. Hopper played just 18 defensive snaps total, with seven against the San Francisco 49ers, three versus the Seattle Seahawks, and eight against the New Orleans Saints. His ceiling is still a mystery, and we should see more from him in the preseason.
Isaiah Simmons is one of the most versatile players on Green Bay’s roster. He lined up at safety and linebacker during his time with the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants. While Simmons will likely be a core special teams contributor in Green Bay, he’s also the type of athlete Hafley could have fun moving around and building special packages for on defense.
“We’re excited about getting him,” Hafley said in May. “I loved him coming out of school; think a lot of us did. He’s a big, fast, physical guy that can run, and he’s made plays before, so we’re hoping to put him in position to help him help us.”
Green Bay also brought back Welch, who spent the 2023 season with the team, and signed undrafted rookie Dumas-Johnson. Welch will likely be a special teams contributor if he makes the final roster.
On the other hand, Dumas-Johnson has a solid chance to continue Green Bay’s two-decade streak of at least one undrafted rookie making the team. He can rush the passer, cover, and bring another layer of versatility and dynamism to the second level.
So, who will start alongside Cooper and Walker in the 4-3?
It’s still too early to lock anything in, but I assume that McDuffie will open the season as the third starter. However, the Packers could rotate in Isaiah Simmons or even Javon Bullard on second-and-medium or third-and-long situations to improve coverage over the middle. Ty’Ron Hopper might be able to crack the rotation and earn more playing time, but there’s just not enough evidence yet to say whether he will — or won’t — be able to do that.
