Green Bay matching Zaire Franklins experience with Edgerrin Coopers athleticism

Wes Hodkiewicz

"Pre-draft picture" is a position-by-position look at the Packers' roster heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. The series continues with the linebackers.

GREEN BAY Despite Quay Walker leaving for Las Vegas in free agency, linebacker remains one of the deepest positions on the Packers' roster entering 2026.

Swapping in for the 2022 first-round pick is veteranZaire Franklin, who's just two seasons removed from an All-Pro campaign with Indianapolis in which he led the NFL with 173 tackles.

The 6-foot, 235-pound linebacker is a former team captain and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honoree who steadily worked his way from a core special-teams player for the Colts to one of the faces of their franchise.

Franklin has been remarkably durable at one of the game's most grueling positions. The 29-year-old linebacker has missed just one game in eight NFL seasons, posting 738 tackles, 10 sacks and three interceptions in 132 games (82 starts).

Franklin brings familiarity with new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who was a secondary coach for the Colts during Franklin's first three NFL seasons.

The veteran presence of Franklin appears an ideal complement to third-year linebackerEdgerrin Cooper, whose speed and athleticism made him an impact player during his debut season in 2024.

The former second-round pick earned a place on the PFWA's All-Rookie Team that year before graduating to a starting role in 2025.

Cooper finished second on Green Bay's defense in tackles (118) and playing time (1,046 snaps) but was not as involved in the pass-rush plan, as his sacks fell from 3 as a rookie to just a half sack in Year 2.

Still, Cooper has shown the capability to be utilized in any defensive fashion en route to 205 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and an INT in 30 regular-season games.

Meanwhile, sixth-year linebackerIsaiah McDuffiehas quietly become the second-longest tenured player on Green Bay's roster, behind only quarterbackJordan Love.

A gritty linebacker and special-teams captain, the 2021 sixth-round pick has missed just one NFL game due to injury while recording 275 tackles in 50 games over the past three seasons.

Providing further depth is 2024 third-round pickTy'Ron Hopper, who started to see more playing time on defense in Year 2 after playing exclusively on special teams as a rookie.

The 6-foot-2, 228-pound linebacker gained valuable reps shadowing Walker and McDuffie as the "Mike" linebacker responsible for communicating defensive plays, finishing with 33 tackles (one for loss) over 144 defensive snaps.

The Packers return two more special-teams stalwarts inNick NiemannandKristian Welch, who both missed time last year due to injury.

Signed at the end of training camp last summer after being released by Houston following four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Niemann was one of the stars of Green Bay's special teams before suffering a groin injury in Pittsburgh that landed him on injured reserve for the remainder of the regular season.

The 6-foot-3, 234-pound linebacker was still one of the Packers' leading coverage players in 2025 (11 tackles) despite missing 11 regular-season games.

Jamon Johnson's release last Friday leaves the Packers with just those six veteran linebackers on the offseason roster, though it's possible Green Bay could look to bring in additional support with eight picks in this week's NFL Draft.

Green Bay has drafted just two linebackers over the past three years, both of which came in 2024 via Cooper and Hopper.

Pre-draft picture series, previous installments

QBs:Love still on rise as search for new backup begins

RBs:Looking for better health

WRs/TEs:Confidently moving forward

OL:Changes up front coming into focus

DL:Its a new day on Packers defensive line