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The Green Bay Packers had decided that rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper needed to play more during the team’s Week 1 loss to the Eagles.

Coach Matt LaFleur said last week, “We were just like, ‘All right, hey, he’s got to go out there,’ and he started making plays.” There will be some hiccups along the way. Every young player has this. You therefore cannot allow it to stop you. If he makes mistakes, you must encourage him, teach him, and keep things moving.

Veteran linebacker Eric Wilson played just eight snaps in Sunday’s victory over the Colts, but he was the defensive player with the most impact plays.

“Today, Eric Wilson was Him. You know, after the game, cornerback Jaire Alexander remarked, “just plain and simple, he was Him.”

The Packers used a base 4-3 defence during the spring and training camp, with Wilson at weak-side linebacker, Isaiah McDuffie at strong-side linebacker, and Quay Walker at middle linebacker. Wilson was in competition with Cooper, a second-round pick and the first linebacker chosen in this year’s draft, for that starting position.

When a linebacker was replaced by a fifth defensive back in nickel circumstances, Walker and McDuffie were the two linebackers.

The problem for the Packers going into their matchup with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday is that although Cooper has the potential, Wilson has been the team’s most productive linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley stated on Thursday, “There’s only so many snaps to go around, and I’m very grateful we didn’t play 80 snaps again like we did Week 1.” “So, if we can again, I will surely err on the side of playing fewer snaps in every game. I’ll be the first to congratulate Matt if he chooses to run the ball 54 times in a game.

On Sunday, the Colts had just 53 offensive snaps. Green Bay used nickel defence for the majority of the game in order to match up with their base offensive package, which has three receivers.

Walker played all 56 snaps, including plays with penalties; Wilson and Cooper only saw eight and seven snaps, respectively.

Hafley did, however, appear to be adjusting against the Colts.The Packers lined up three times, Wilson and Cooper on either side of Walker. Walker and Cooper were the linebackers in nickel for three more snaps.

Hafley stated of Cooper, “There’s only so many plays and only so many packages, but we need to play him more.” “I believe you’ll notice that his numbers increase when we are here next week. We’re beginning to realise that he excels in some areas, so we must capitalise on that.

Cooper’s playing for the Packers is essential to the defense’s long-term success. Wilson, meanwhile, is more of a well-known entity. He outperformed Cooper in the training camp and earned the starting position.

His eight snaps against the Colts included a crucial interception with almost ten minutes remaining in the game, a critical third-and-1 stop on a quarterback option early in the fourth quarter, and a forced fumble against Jonathan Taylor late in the third quarter.

Hafley was giddy as she discussed Wilson’s performance.

Hafley remarked, “Holy cow, what a game he had for the eight plays that he played.” One of the game’s greatest plays was that TFL he made when they checked the speed option and we kicked that thing backward. Then there was the seam ball interception he made. And then you saw the ball lying on the sideline as he emerged on the screen. Can you see how hard he worked and how he delivered the punch? The person practices that way, thus we too ought to have received that ball.

With 122 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions in 2020, Wilson had a fantastic season with the Vikings. But in his combined 94 tackles, zero interceptions, and zero forced fumbles with the Eagles, Texans, and Packers in 2022 and 2023.

Wilson has demonstrated with Hafley that he is more than simply a vital member of special teams.

First and foremost, Wilson stated, “it means a lot to have the opportunity, and then go out there and make the most of the opportunity.” “I’ve said it before: it makes no difference whether you play defence or special teams. I will throw everything at it. Going out there and making plays for our team is amazing.

Walker, the previous first-round pick, will be crucial to the group and possibly the defence as a whole, even though Wilson and Cooper deserve more playing time. He leads the team in tackles with 17, and last week against the Colts, he had a chance to intercept the game-winning pass. Still, we have to wait for him to consistently be a game-changing factor

“I’m in love with Quay right now, not just where she could be. I’m much more excited about Quay’s future location,” Hafley remarked. When you watch some plays, you might say, ‘Wow. Take a look at that. That’s precisely the topic of our conversation. Additionally, you’re discussing a man who is playing in a whole different scheme and is experiencing a lot of new things.

“I’m really enthusiastic about where he is going to be because of the way he works and how he practiced today. Right now, I’m really happy with him and have a lot of faith in him.