GREEN BAY – The Packers' defense must move on without linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, and no one is pretending it will be easy.
"He's a tough one to lose," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday, as Cooper's season is over due to an Achilles injury. "My heart hurts for him."
Isaiah McDuffie and Ty'Ron Hopper are the next linebackers up, and while neither is the playmaker Cooper has become, there's confidence in both players.
McDuffie is a six-year pro with 40 NFL starts under his belt, while Hopper is viewed as a young, improving talent. How the Packers plan to deploy them remains to be seen, but Cooper's absence also makes veteran newcomer Zaire Franklin's leadership in the middle of the defense all the more important.
"We put a lot on his plate," LaFleur said of Franklin. "He directs traffic down there. I think he's done an outstanding job and I just love the guy, how engaged he is in game, bringing everybody up, supporting his teammates.
"He's been a great leader for us and he does a great job of getting all 11 on the same page."
In other injury news, rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse was not put into the concussion protocol after getting checked out late in Sunday's game. He passed all tests. He does have a neck injury that LaFleur said isn't long-term.
Running back Chris Brooks is still having tests done on his injured ankle to get a clearer prognosis.
Edge rusher Micah Parsons is not slated to return to practice this week, but LaFleur said "the guy is working his butt off to be out there." He added progress was made over the past week but did not reveal any timeline.
Bigger picture, while LaFleur continued to stress cleaning up the penalties, dropped passes and ball-security issues hampering the offense, the line took a step forward at Tampa Bay the way it protected QB Jordan Love and generated two explosive runs worth 58 yards.
Laken Tomlinson stepped in at left guard on one week of practice in Green Bay, and Travis Glover played right guard in his first start since a rough playoff game in Philadelphia in January of 2025.
"I thought all in all just the whole unit played – that was the best we've played together for one game," LaFleur said, noting the penalties were the drawback. "It wasn't perfect all the time, but the thing that I liked too was I saw the guys straining up front. There was some physicality that we needed to see and so I thought they did a good job against a pretty good front."
Recent arrival Kevin Zeitler will be taking over at right guard as soon as he's up to speed and ready, but Glover's performance was encouraging for a unit looking for reliable depth.
"That was big-time for him and for us," LaFleur said. "He got an opportunity and went out there and attacked it head on."
Next up for the 2-2 Packers is a visit from defending NFC North champion Chicago. The Bears are 3-1 and will be starting backup QB Tyson Bagent in place of the injured Caleb Williams.
This is Green Bay's first meeting with its biggest rival since blowing fourth-quarter leads in two trips to Chicago late last year, the second one coming in the playoffs to end the Packers' season.
While the film from those games will be reviewed, it won't be the focus of the week of preparation.
"It's a new year," LaFleur said. "We're not going to dwell on the past. We're going to look forward and try to learn from everything we've gone through as a football team."
