Testing done in Green Bay on Monday confirmed what was feared on the field in Tampa Bay: Packers star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper tore his Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Cooper went down with a non-contact injury during the third quarter against the Buccaneers. He immediately grabbed his left ankle and lower calf area, and trainers eventually carted him off the field at Raymond James Stadium. Everything about the injury suggested a torn Achilles tendon, and imaging done Monday confirmed the worst fears. Cooper will need surgery to repair the rupture and months of recovery and rehab time.
Isaiah McDuffie is the top backup and will now be expected to start next to Zaire Franklin at linebacker
the rest of the way.
Cooper was enjoying a Pro Bowl-caliber season through four games in 2026. A disruptor against the run, in coverage and as a blitzer, Cooper was arguably the top playmaker on a Packers defense without Micah Parsons. He will now miss the remaining 13 games of the season and go into 2027 on the final year of his rookie contract, creating a big blow for the Packers in the present and another tricky contract situation for both the player and team next year.
Before his injury on Sunday, Cooper had a sack, an interception and a team-high nine tackles over 34 snaps. In just four games, Cooper had 3.0 sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Cooper will eventually go on injured reserve, joining receiver Jayden Reed (neck) and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee) as starters who will miss the rest of the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Tests confirm Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper tore Achilles tendon
