Assessing breakout potential of 3 Packers players named to '2025 All-Breakout Team'
If all three players truly break out this season, the Packers might be the best team in football in 2025. Any kind of breakout performance from Morgan would turn a good offensive line into an elite one, while a big season from Van Ness and Cooper would almost certainly help Jeff Hafley create one of the NFL's most disruptive defenses.
All three young players have breakout merit.
Brooks sees Morgan, who will compete for a starting job at left tackle and right guard, as having the "quick feet and active hands" necessary for being a top pass blocker regardless of his position.
"If the franchise quarterback (Jordan Love) enjoys a banner season, there's a good chance the second-year blocker will have played a major role in his success, presumably as either Love's blindside protector or as a trench warrior at the point of attack," Brooks wrote.
In the defensive front, the Packers are banking on a big season from Van Ness, the team's 2023 first-round pick. His first two years have been disappointing in terms of production and impact, but experienced gained over his first two seasons could help set up a big third year for a player with the size, power and athleticism to be consistently disruptive.
From Brooks: "Whether he is attacking from the edges as a full-time starter or creating chaos as a designated playmaker in a sub-package, Van Ness possesses the size, tools and experience to turn his flashes into disruptive production this fall."
It wouldn't be untrue to say Cooper's rookie season was a "breakout" season. He produced 13 tackles for losses and 3.5 sacks despite playing fewer than 500 total snaps. But breaking out has different definitions, and it's possible Cooper could break out as a Pro Bowl-caliber player in a full-time role for Hafley in 2025.
"Cooper is a rare find as a downhill 'backer with the speed, quickness and agility to match tight ends and running backs in space, while possessing the power, pop and wiggle to wreak havoc on blitzes," Brooks wrote. "The second-year pro could be in line for more accolades as a designated playmaker in Jeff Hafley's "see ball, get ball" defense.
Let's break down the breakout potential for all three players.
Jordan Morgan
A college left tackle, Morgan looked primed to start at right guard to start his rookie season when a shoulder injury hit during training camp. The same recurring injury ended up limiting him to just six games and one start. With the injury in the rear-view mirror and with a year of experience in a professional program, Morgan should be physically and mentally ready to be a starter somewhere along the offensive line. The Packers are going to give him a shot to start at left tackle, a premium position, but right guard is up for grabs as well. A breakout season for Morgan would probably be winning a starting job at one of the spots and producing a solid season that elevates the performance at left tackle or right guard over the 2024 season. While beating out Rasheed Walker at left tackle still feels unlikely, it's a good bet Morgan is going to start a lot of games for the Packers in 2025.
Breakout potential: Good
Lukas Van Ness
Disappointingly, Van Ness produced fewer pressures and fewer stops compared to his rookie season while playing roughly the same amount of snaps in 2024. He must take a big step in Year 3, especially considering how much the Packers will be relying on him to make impact plays on the edge. But Van Ness certainly isn't the first highly drafted edge rusher to take time to develop early in his career. In fact, Mark Oldacres of Packers Wire showed here that many first-round picks at edge rusher need development early and eventually break out in Year 3. And Van Ness did actually improve in some metrics as a pass-rusher in Year 2, even while dealing with a broken thumb that required a cast for the first few months of the season. A breakout season for Van Ness would require playing more snaps, making more impact plays and improving in a notable way as a both a pass-rusher and run stopper. It's a lot to ask, but he's physically capable, and having DeMarcus Covington as his new position coach could accelerate the development.
Breakout potential: Decent
Edgerrin Cooper
There hasn't been this much hype over a second-year Packers defender since probably Clay Matthews. But Cooper earned the hype after a dazzling rookie season in which he was one of the most disruptive defensive players in football over the last month of the year. He is an elite athlete with true playmaking instincts and ability, and he's both playing in a system that helps maximizes his disruption potential and expected to play a lot more snaps as a bigger, stronger second-year player. Mix obvious talent with a schematic fit and an increase in opportunities, and a big season is usually the end result. What does a breakout season look like for a player coming off such an encouraging rookie season? Expectations are important, but putting together a Pro Bowl-caliber year is probably the only way Cooper could truly "break out" in 2025. While nothing guarantees a big jump, Cooper looks like he could be the best young off-ball linebacker in football.
Breakout potential: Good
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