Countdown to camp: Packers' defense gets new signal caller

Pairing of Zaire Franklin with Edgerrin Cooper to lead LB corps

Jul 25, 2026 at 09:00 AM

packers.com editor

"Countdown to camp" is a position-by-position overview of the Packers' roster heading into training camp. The series continues with the linebackers.

GREEN BAY – There's a new man in the middle of the Packers' defense, and two questions surround that man, Zaire Franklin.

How much does the 30-year-old have left in the tank? And can Edgerrin Cooper's game reach another level playing alongside him?

Franklin (6-0, 235) came to the Packers in an offseason trade with the Colts for defensive lineman Colby Wooden, and venturing to Green Bay reunites him with Jonathan Gannon. The Packers' new defensive coordinator was defensive backs coach in Indianapolis during Franklin's first three NFL seasons, while the seventh-round pick was working to establish himself as an every-down linebacker.

Once he did, he blossomed into a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2024 with an NFL-best 173 total tackles, including 11 for loss, his second career season with double-digit TFLs.

Much like safety Xavier McKinney two years ago, Franklin commanded respect and took on a leadership role as soon as he entered the Packers' locker room. Not surprisingly, he was also wearing the communication helmet during spring workouts, which he did in Indy and his predecessor Quay Walker did for multiple years in Green Bay before leaving in free agency for Las Vegas.

Franklin, a durable pro who has missed only one game over the last four years, insists he's got plenty left to offer, and the Packers are counting on it. They're also banking on his veteran presence and leadership boosting the game of Cooper (6-2, 229), the up-and-coming linebacker whose ceiling remains unknown.

Two years ago as a second-round rookie playing a part-time but growing role, Cooper made splash plays with regularity, recording 13 TFLs and 3½ sacks in less than 500 defensive snaps. As a full-time starter in Year 2 playing 1,000-plus snaps, Cooper finished second on the team with 118 total tackles, but he had just four TFLs and a half sack.

Unleashing Cooper's full talents falls mostly on Gannon, but developing quick and productive chemistry alongside Franklin will also be a factor.

Behind their big two at linebacker, the Packers have impressive veteran depth, beginning with sixth-year pro Isaiah McDuffie. Though he missed OTAs and minicamp due to an undisclosed injury, McDuffie presumably would be the third in any three-LB package Gannon would dial up.

Reliable though not flashy, McDuffie (6-1, 227) recently received an extension that'll keep him under contract through 2027. Throughout his career, he's filled in admirably on defense when injuries have struck and has been a stalwart on special teams, twice hitting double-digit coverage tackles, including last year.

Right behind McDuffie is third-year pro Ty'Ron Hopper, a third-round pick in 2024 who got his first two starts last season but hasn't yet risen to regular starter. Hopper (6-2, 228) did snag his first career interception in limited duty in the playoff game in Chicago last January, and he's recorded 19 tackles on special teams over two seasons.

Next up are two more veterans known for their prowess on special teams in Nick Niemann and Kristian Welch.

Niemann (6-3, 234) signed with the Packers at the end of training camp last season after being released by Houston, where he'd gone as a free agent following four seasons with the Chargers. His impact on special teams was immediate and undeniable, as he posted 11 coverage tackles in seven games before a pectoral injury sidelined him the rest of the regular season. He returned for the playoffs and made another tackle on special teams.

Welch (6-3, 240) is in the midst of his second stint with the Packers, having come to Green Bay initially in 2023 following three years with the Ravens. He played with both the Broncos and Ravens in 2024 and then returned to the Packers last year, when he spent the first portion of the season on the practice squad and was a special-teams regular for two months (three tackles) before an ankle injury landed him on IR in late December.

The Packers didn't add any linebackers via the draft but did sign one undrafted rookie at the position, Louisville's TJ Quinn. A third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick last year, Quinn (6-0, 225) played in 54 total games over five seasons at Louisville, where he led the team in tackles each of the last three years.