GREEN BAY, Wis. — A stout room of linebackers in Green Bay didn’t undergo a full-scale renovation this past offseason, but the Packers did rearrange the top of the depth chart.
Gone is Quay Walker, who had been a four-year starter for the Packers before the team opted against picking up his fifth-year option and allowing him to enter unrestricted free agency. He’d ultimately sign a three-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, while the Packers flipped nose tackle Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for eight-year veteran Zaire Franklin to fill the void.
With Edgerrin Cooper entering his third season, he’ll now be paired with Franklin as the Packers’ two primary linebackers. It’s unclear who will wear the green dot on their helmet and handle communication responsibilities for the defense, but it’s more than likely that it will be delegated to a seasoned player such as Franklin.
Compound that with Isaiah McDuffie returning for a sixth season in Green Bay fresh off signing a one-year extension, and the outlook gets a little murky for Ty’Ron Hopper. But head coach Matt LaFleur isn’t ready to close the book on the former third-round pick, calling him one of the most improved players in the Packers’ linebacker room this summer.
