A groin injury derailed almost all of the 2025 season for Brenton Cox Jr. However, you only have to go back to 2024 to see the real impact he had. In seven games in 2024, Cox racked up four sacks, seven quarterback hits, and five tackles for loss.
Therefore, we shouldn’t overlook that he re-signed with the Green Bay Packers on an affordable deal.
After trading Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys and Kingsley Enagbare inked a one-year deal with the New York Jets, the Packers were suddenly looking at a top-heavy edge-rusher group that lacked depth. Keep in mind that superstar Micah Parsons is not expected to be ready by Week 1 as he rehabs a torn ACL. That’s why getting Cox back isn’t an afterthought.
After not tendering Cox, the Packers will bring him back for even cheaper on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.
Brenton Cox Jr. was a healthy scratch for the first nine games of the season in 2024. After the Packers traded Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cox got his chance and ran with it.
His four sacks over the final seven games tied him for the team lead with Gary. While the sample size wasn’t huge, Cox finished the season with over 95 pass rushes. Of 130 edge rushers who had 95 or more, Cox finished 12th among the group in pass-rush win rate. He got his opportunity and took full grasp of it.
Head coach Matt LaFleur frequently complimented Cox’s drive to stick with it even after being a healthy scratch for the first half of the year in 2024.
I just think it’s good, especially for guys, whether you’re on the P-Squad or maybe you’re not getting the snaps you want, it’s a good lesson to continue to work and keep at it and you have to make sure you’re preparing for that moment. So when that moment comes, you’re able to capitalize on it and I think that’s what he did.
Cox was set to take on a role in 2025 before it was marred by injuries. After he suffered a groin injury last season, Cox explained:
Yeah, (it was disappointing), but it comes with the game. If you play football, you know it’s coming now or later. Just to get it out of the way and be able to return for the season was a big plus. That’s what I prayed about the whole time was just being able to return.
Cox was able to return late in the season in a limited role. Now, he’s back for 2026 and should get plenty of run.
Factoring in that Parsons won’t be ready for the start of the season, Green Bay’s current picture at edge rusher includes Lukas Van Ness, Cox, and two second-year players in Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver. That’s a lot of unknowns, so bringing back Cox gives Green Bay some stability.
The Gary trade came as no surprise. After a wildly disappointing second half of the season, the Packers were never going to bring him back at his price tag. Enagbare’s leaving wasn’t a shock, either. Still, it was eyebrow-raising to see that the Packers didn’t put on a full-court press to bring back Enagbare at a reasonable cost. The Jets swooped in with a one-year deal instead.
That domino effect leads to Cox returning to an even more prominent role. If he stays healthy, there’s no reason he can’t match the production he showed in the second half of 2024. He’ll be far more essential in 2026, especially if Green Bay plans on running with the crew it has in place now, plus Parsons once he returns.
Without Parsons out for the start of the season, Cox may be starting Week 1 for the Packers with Van Ness on the opposite side of the defensive line. The $2.5 million price tag ties it all together. There’s no huge investment or major financial risk here. If Cox has another brutal injury that lands him on the shelf for a prolonged period of time, his contract isn’t breaking the bank. From Cox’s perspective, if he can show up and show out in a bigger role, a hefty payday could be in store next offseason when his contract is up.
Getting Brenton Cox Jr. back after losing Enagbare and Gary made too much sense for the Packers. They maintain some familiarity and extend their gamble on someone who really popped when he got his chance in 2024. Last season was a dud because of the groin injury, and it made it easy to forget about the promise he displayed the previous year. Don’t forget about that name any longer, though. Cox will have the chance to make his name prominent again in 2026.
