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Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season after tests confirmed he tore his Achilles tendon in Sunday’s 17–14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a blow that removes one of the most productive young defenders in the NFC from a team that has yet to see Micah Parsons play this year.
Coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday, October 5, that he expects Cooper to be out for the remainder of the year. Adam Schefter reported the same day that testing had confirmed the tear. “He’s a tough one to lose,” LaFleur said. “My heart hurts for him.” The Packers have not yet announced a move to injured reserve.
Source: Tests confirmed that Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper tore his Achilles. pic.twitter.com/9XJNeuUJ5P
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026
A game-changing afternoon cut short
Cooper was having one of the best days of his career at Raymond James Stadium. He made nine tackles, four of them solo, sacked Tampa Bay’s quarterback once, broke up a pass and intercepted another, returning it 18 yards. Midway through the third quarter he went down shortly after the snap without contact, grabbed at the back of his lower left leg and was taken off on a cart. The club ruled him out soon afterwards.
Green Bay held on without him to level its record at 2–2.
Cooper, 24, was in his third season after the Packers took him in the second round of the 2024 draft. He announced himself quickly, piling up 87 tackles as a rookie in 2024, when he also had three and a half sacks and picked off one pass in 14 appearances, and had become a central piece of the defense.
Who steps in
Isaiah McDuffie, a six-year veteran with 40 career starts, is in line to take Cooper’s spot in the starting lineup, with Ty’Ron Hopper also expected to see more snaps. Veteran Zaire Franklin, who calls the defensive signals, will carry more responsibility. LaFleur praised his leadership on Monday and said the team already leans heavily on him.
The injury deepens a difficult stretch for the defense. Parsons, still working back from the torn ACL he suffered in 2025, will not return to practice this week, although LaFleur said he is making progress. Cornerback Brandon Cisse has been cleared from the concussion protocol, while running back Chris Brooks is still being evaluated for an ankle injury.
What comes next
The Packers host the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on Sunday, October 11, at 1:00 p.m. EDT, with Tyson Bagent set to start at quarterback for Chicago. Follow the Packers team page and the NFL injury report for roster moves and official designations.
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