The Green Bay Packers‘ defense will be under a spotlight coming into the 2026 NFL campaign. Despite Micah Parsons‘ absence coming into the year, the unit has notable expectations after a productive performance in 2025. The unit closed the year ranked as the No. 11 scoring defense in football and is building on that performance during training camp.
Green Bay’s defense struggled against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason opener, but has since bounced back in a big way, stringing together notable outings during practice leading up to Week 2 of the preseason and afterward. The Packers’ defense held the Denver Broncos to just 13 points in a dominant victory on Friday, carrying that momentum into practice during the early parts of this week.
Per reports, Green Bay’s defense dominated the offense in practice on Monday, with several players showing out amid crucial position battles. Let’s dive into some of the unit’s top performers as of late:
Edgerrin Cooper Building All-Pro Hype
Mark Hoffman - USA Today
Edgerrin Cooper took a noticeable leap in his second season, building on a memorable rookie year with a stellar performance in his sophomore campaign. Cooper has dominated practices throughout the offseason, building All-Pro hype as he continues to shine during the preseason. The star linebacker racked up 118 tackles in 2025, good for the 12th-highest mark in the NFC. Following the team’s loss of Quay Walker in free agency, Cooper will be called on for another leap in 2026. According to reports, he had his best day of practice on Monday and is finding his stride at the right time coming into the year.
Brandon Cisse Making Starting Case At Cornerback
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Packers selected South Carolina standout cornerback Brandon Cisse in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite some minor injuries, he’s managed to carve out first-team reps alongside Carrington Valentine, Benjamin St-Juste and Keisean Nixon, and has looked like one of the top players among the group throughout the offseason. The rookie has flashed notable consistency and is looking to cement a starting role in just his first professional season. Like Cooper, Cisse added to his training camp highlight reel with another nice day on Monday.
Safeties Continue To Shine During Preseason Practices
The Packers’ safety group has been one of the team’s top positions during training camp. Javon Bullard turned in a solid preseason showing in Week 2, but missed practice to open the week. In his absence, Kitan Oladapo made some key plays with crucial reps, while Kamal Hadden took over the starting nickel reins. Hadden has shown out during training camp and could see notable playing time this season. TCU product Mark Perry also carved out a solid performance against Denver, grabbing an interception.
