Learning curves are inevitable when an NFL team commits significant playing time to a young player. Mistakes will happen, and there will be growing pains along the way. Still, getting them on the field early is one of the most effective ways to accelerate development and set a foundation for long-term success.
The Green Bay Packers will head into 2025 as the NFL’s youngest team again, but being young is no longer an excuse. There’s talent across both sides of the ball, and one player who didn’t start last season looks ready for a bigger role this year: Ty’Ron Hopper.
Hopper logged 95 defensive snaps this preseason and was arguably one of Green Bay’s most improved players compared to last year. He finished with eight tackles, a sack, a pressure, a forced fumble, and six stops — tackles that count as failures for the offense. Moreover, he earned the seventh-highest defensive grade among 221 linebackers who took at least one snap this preseason.
“Hop’s done a really nice job,” Matt LaFleur said after the preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.
He’s shown a ton of improvement really in every facet of his game, on defense, on we-fense (what the Packers call special teams). Certainly, we always knew he was going to be a physical presence, you could see that going back to his college tape. He’s got a better understanding of what is required of him for that position, he’s got a great understanding of our defense, and he’s gone out there and put together a lot of solid performances.
Hopper saw just 18 defensive snaps last year, all coming after Week 11. Every other member of the off-ball linebacker corps played at least 480 snaps, including Isaiah McDuffie, who was a liability in coverage and only average against the run, finishing 2024 with a 45.8 coverage grade and a 66.5 run-defense grade. Eric Wilson, who was re-signed primarily as a special teamer, still logged over 550 defensive snaps.
A former third-round pick, Hopper opened camp competing for the fourth-string spot, with Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker locked in as starters. McDuffie is also a big Jeff Hafley guy, and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t start the season alongside Cooper and Walker in the 4-3. Still, Hopper has built a strong case to earn the third-string role.
“Hopper, first, I would say that he’s one of our most improved players from a year ago,” LaFleur said after the preseason finale. “He’s done an outstanding job, he’s really got it. He’s done a much better job communicating. I would say he’s the voice of the defense when he’s in there, so I think he’s done a really nice job. He’s still a young developing player, but he got a lot of good work this preseason.”
Cooper is Green Bay’s best linebacker by far. Walker is a capable starter, but we know what the Packers currently have in him. The best way for Hafley to maximize his linebacker corps is to get Hopper on the field in the 4-3. McDuffie will make mistakes, just as a young player such as Hopper naturally will. However, Hopper’s ceiling is still unknown, and Green Bay should accept mistakes from a player with untapped potential rather than settle for consistently subpar play from others.
Green Bay may be hesitant to give Hopper a heavy workload immediately, considering he played fewer than 20 defensive snaps last year. The best approach could be to gradually increase his snaps every week, building his confidence until he becomes a regular starter. That said, he needs to get on the field this year – especially considering the Packers spent the significant investment of a Day 2 pick on him.