Love for Edgerrin Cooper and Elgton Jenkins, but Packers missing playoffs?
Love for Edgerrin Cooper and Elgton Jenkins, but Packers missing playoffs?
Ben's Solak's list of 100 things to know and predictions for the 2025 NFL season -- posted at ESPN on Tuesday -- featured love for Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins but also included a prediction Packers fans won't like to read.
First, the good. Solak started his 100-item list with "10 names to know." The first two names listed? Both Packers -- Cooper and Jenkins.
Solak sees Cooper, an All-Rookie Team pick who won two NFC Defensive Player of the Week awards and took off as an impact player to end last season, as an All-Pro candidate in 2025.
From Solak: "The lightbulb went on for Cooper last year, as he rose from sub-package player to 100% snap starter by season's end. From December on, I'm not sure there were five more impactful linebackers in all of football. Cooper is highly active against the run and a reliable tackler in space. He has the size and athletic ability to be a solid coverage man. After he got one All-Pro vote last season, I'd wager Cooper gets double-digit votes in 2025."
Cooper produced 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and two fumble recoveries while starting only four games and playing under 500 total snaps as a rookie. He has legitimate star power as a do-everything disruptor at off-ball linebacker, especially after gaining weight and strength ahead of Year 2. He should be more comfortable in Jeff Hafley's defense and better built to withstand the rigors of an NFL season.
On offense, Solak sees Jenkins, who is moving to center in 2025, as "one of the coolest players in the league" considering his incredible versatility and consistency. And he agrees that Jenkins -- who is skipping the offseason program so far -- needs a restructured deal ahead of this season.
From Solak: "In six seasons, he has played at least 300 snaps at four of the five offensive line positions: both tackle spots, left guard and center. The film has been good everywhere, too -- absurd consistency. His last extensive experience at center was in 2020, but he's expected to fill that spot in 2025 after Josh Myers left for the Jets in free agency. Jenkins is in a contract dispute with the Packers right now, as he has two years left on his deal and reportedly wants his compensation to reflect his versatility. I agree with him. What a player."
The Packers gave Aaron Banks a top-of-the-market deal and are now asking Jenkins -- who has been a far better player than Banks at left guard during his career -- to move to center. It's a lot to ask of a player who has only two years left on his deal, could be a cut candidate in 2026 and is moving to a less lucrative position at center. In some ways, Jenkins' incredible versatility is both a gift and a curse. He can play every offensive line position, and most of the five at a high level. But moving around so often is tough on the player and makes the financial side increasingly tricky.
Ready for the bad? Solak predicted the Packers wouldn't make the postseason in 2025. His concerns revolve around the defense's pass-rush, which was frustratingly inconsistent in 2024 and didn't make a major addition this offseason, and at the top of the receiver depth chart.
Solak's prediction: "The Packers will miss the playoffs. I think two of the biggest nonnegotiables for playoff teams are having a pass rush and a dominant receiver. The Packers definitely don't have the first and still might not have the second, even after drafting Matthew Golden in Round 1. They were plus-12 in turnover differential last season, which ranked third in the NFL, but that tends not to be a sticky number. (I am also looking at the plus-24 Bills with supreme suspicion.)"
Legitimate concerns, but it's worth noting that the Packers won 11 games and made the playoffs without a dominant pass rush or a true No. 1 receiver just last season. Making a change at defensive line coach -- swapping out Jason Rebrovich for former Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington -- could make a big difference. And after adding Golden and Savion Williams in the draft, the Packers are deep in talent at wide receiver, plus Tucker Kraft could emerge as a bigger weapon in the passing game.
Solak also mentioned Packers-Eagles in Week 10 as one of his "nine interesting scheduling features," and for an obvious reason: It's the Tush Push battle. Surely, that storyline won't be brought up a million more times before now and kickoff in Week 10, right?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
43 minutes ago
- USA Today
This NFL coach and QB combination could be the most dangerous in 2025
This NFL coach and QB combination could be the most dangerous in 2025 Show Caption Hide Caption DeMarcus Ware believes Evan Engram will help Bo Nix's growth in NFL Former Broncos linebacker Evan Engram believes veteran TE Evan Engram will help Bo Nix's growth in the NFL. Sports Seriously Editor's note: This story is a part of a series by USA TODAY Sports called Project: June. We will publish at least one NFL-themed story every day throughout the month because fans know the league truly never sleeps. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton is on the phone. His voice is slightly hoarse from a cold but the story he told comes through loud and clear. It was about quarterback Bo Nix. It went like this. They knew that Nix was a good athlete. They saw it when Nix was at Oregon. But they didn't realize how explosive he was until Nix started actually practicing and playing in the NFL. "One thing about the QB that came even as a little surprise for us," Payton told USA TODAY Sports, "was seeing some of these off-schedule throws from him, and it kind of stunned us at how good he was at that. It's because he's so fast. I don't think people get how athletic and how fast he is." Off-schedule or off-platform throws are when the quarterback makes a pass while not in a balanced or standard throwing position. Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes excels at these. Nix is getting really good at them. In fact, he's getting good at it all. He's a big reason why the Broncos' Super Bowl window is officially open now. You read that correctly. Payton is asked for a bottom-line evaluation of Nix. "I'm seeing a player who I think will continue to make big strides," said Payton. Nix last season was off to a good start. He set Broncos rookie records for passing touchdowns (29), completions (376) and passing yards (3,775). He was also the first rookie quarterback in league history to record multiple games with at least 300 passing yards, four passing scores and a passer rating of at least 140. What Payton has found in Nix is most likely another quarterback star. Payton has had this before. (More on that in a moment.) This season we could see this duo become the most dangerous coach-quarterback combo in football. It's also why that Super Bowl window is opening now. Notice, I didn't say the best coach-quarterback combo (though that could happen as well). I said the most dangerous. If anyone can unseat the current best combo right now in Andy Reid and Mahomes, with three straight Super Bowl appearances, it would be this one. Yes, the combo of Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts just beat Kansas City in the Super Bowl, but Reid-Mahomes is still the gold standard. Payton and Nix, however, just entered the chat. The Broncos were a stunning 10-7 last year in part because Nix shocked everyone. But there's a reason he did. This is what Payton does. Give him a good quarterback, he makes him really good. Give him a great quarterback, he helps make him a certain Hall of Famer. See: Brees, Drew. Brees finished his career as the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards and completions when he retired in 2021. Tom Brady would later pass him. (Brady would later pass errybody.) Brees made 13 Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl, where he was also named Super Bowl MVP. Brees once remembered how this historic pairing began. "It goes back to when he first sat me down before I ever signed with the Saints, and he started drawing up plays on the board that was a combination of his West Coast offensive background and philosophy, and the things that I did well with the San Diego Chargers," Brees said. "I remember looking at him saying, 'Oh, you guys run these concepts as well?' And he said, 'No, but I know that you ran these and you ran them very well, and we're going to build this offense around you and your strengths.' "Right away, I realized that that was such a unique approach and maybe so much different than what I expected, especially from a first-time head coach, coming into a really tough situation with high expectations." That is classic Payton. I'll always believe that Payton is the best play caller in the history of the sport. One of the best play designers. One of the best at getting his players to understand his concepts, and adapting his concepts to the player. I know this because I've seen it up and close and personal. Watched him do it. Brees will skip into the Hall of Fame and some day Payton will follow him. Now, I'm seeing the same thing in Denver. It goes beyond the obvious that Nix and Brees are similar specimens. It's Payton again morphing the offense around what Nix does best. Payton is also criminally underrated in building a good culture. He's creating Saints West. Not the Saints you see now. Or the almost comically bad Saints teams from the 1970s. It's the one that was once solid and even feared. Payton is helping his own cause by putting pieces all around Nix. The Broncos had a successful offseason signing key free agents in safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and tight end Evan Engram. The latter will be that "joker" weapon for the Broncos who maneuvers around the formation creating mismatches. 'That is a cool thing to just embrace,' Engram said. 'Sean talks about it a lot. It was a big part of the pitch coming here. ... I definitely see that it is something that has to be earned with the way I work and the way that I learn the offense to gain the trust of Sean, Bo, and the rest of the coaches and players. I think we have a bunch of 'Jokers' on this team, honestly, that can have a great role on this offense. It is definitely something that I like to embrace, but it is also something that I am going to earn, too.' And there's a piece of data you should know. The Broncos had 134 games missed due to injuries in 2022. That number fell to 35 in 2023 and 33 last season. It shows Payton is figuring out more than just the QB situation. So, this is just your warning. Will the Broncos win the Super Bowl this year? Maybe not. Or, heck, maybe so. What's certain is the Super Bowl window for this team is officially open. Thanks primarily to Payton and Nix.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
REPORT: Knicks ask Mavs for permission to interview Jason Kidd
The New York Knicks have formally requested permission to speak with Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd as they begin the process of replacing Tom Thibodeau, according to multiple reports. Marc Stein first broke the news on his Substack newsletter. Stein reported that the Knicks are 'indeed preparing to ask Dallas for formal permission to speak to Kidd.' 'The New York Knicks are expected to formally request permission to speak to the Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd about their coaching vacancy in coming days, league sources say.' — Marc Stein Advertisement That report was followed by confirmation from ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps. 'The Knicks have yet to request permission to speak to Kidd, who has two years remaining on the contract extension he signed during the Mavs' 2024 run to the NBA Finals. 'Dallas general manager Nico Harrison and governor Patrick Dumont have not yet discussed whether the franchise would be willing to grant permission for Kidd to speak to the Knicks.' — ESPN's Shams Charania and Tim Bontemps This development comes shortly after New York's playoff run ended in a Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and the subsequent firing of Tom Thibodeau. Despite the team reaching its first conference final in over two decades under Thibodeau and making the playoffs three consecutive years, the Knicks opted to part ways with him after five seasons. Kidd has emerged as the frontrunner for the Knicks' opening, at least publicly following this leak, and it's believed that his shared past with Jalen Brunson might have something to do with it. Advertisement A Hall of Fame point guard, Kidd finished his playing career in New York during the 2012–13 season, starting 48 games for the last Knicks team to win 50 games before Thibodeau's tenure. Kidd immediately transitioned into coaching following his retirement, taking over the Brooklyn Nets the following season. Since then, he has coached the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks. The now-veteran head coach owns a 362–339 career regular-season record and is 31–33 in the playoffs. He led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024 before signing a two-year contract extension last summer that kicks in for the 2024–25 season. Despite still being under contract, Dallas is reportedly open, albeit still considering if they'd do so, to allowing Kidd to explore other opportunities, including talking to the Knicks brass and potentially joining the NYC-based franchise. Kidd's connection to Brunson, who played for him in Dallas during the 2021-22 season, could be one of the reasons behind the Knicks' interest in hiring the point guard to man the MSG sideline. Advertisement In an interview a few years ago, Brunson recalled their first meeting after Kidd took over in Dallas. 'The first thing he told me when he became head coach, he says, 'What do you want to achieve?' And I told him I wanted to just contribute as best I can, yada yada yada,' Brunson said. 'He said, 'No, we gotta get you paid.'' During that season, Brunson posted then-career highs in points (16.3), assists (4.8), and rebounds (3.9) per game, setting the stage for his free-agent move to New York. Kidd is also widely credited with helping develop Giannis Antetokounmpo during his early years with the Milwaukee Bucks, earning the trust of the future two-time MVP and bringing another appealing connection to the table with Giannis now seeming disgruntled and looking for a way out of Milwaukee. Advertisement Kidd's track record in developing talent and building relationships with players is reportedly of interest to the Knicks front office because of the possibilities it might bring in the short-term future with a solid core already in tow and in the middle of a contending window. For what it's worth, New York already got in touch with Kidd previously, interviewing the coach during the Knicks' 2020 coaching search, ultimately finishing as a finalist before withdrawing to remain with the Lakers in an assistant coach position under honcho Frank Vogel. Thibodeau was hired instead, and now, five years later, New York appears ready to hire Kidd once and for all, assuming all parties can find agreements and common ground. For that to happen, the Mavericks would first need to allow Kidd to talk to the Knicks. If the coach convinces New York he's the right man for the position, then Dallas would either need to A) release him or 2) agree with New York on a trade for the coach to swap franchises. Advertisement Previous head coach trades have been built around draft compensation, such as when the Clippers acquired Doc Rivers from the Celtics for an unprotected first-round pick, or when Milwaukee sent second-rounders to Brooklyn to hire the very own Kidd in 2014. While the Knicks are limited in tradable first-round picks after last year's deal for Mikal Bridges, they still control Washington's top-eight-protected 2026 pick (likely to convert to two seconds), eight additional second-rounders, and multiple future first-round swap rights. More from
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
What time is Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2? Walkouts for UFC 316 main event
What time is Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2? Walkouts for UFC 316 main event Show Caption Hide Caption Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2 prediction | UFC 316 breakdown MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom offers his breakdown and prediction for the UFC 316 main event. dan tom Nine months removed from their first encounter, Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley are about to run it back. This UFC bantamweight championship bout scheduled for five rounds is taking place Saturday, June 7 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) claimed the 135-pound title from O'Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) with a dominant unanimous decision win last September at UFC 306. Since then, O'Malley has remained on the shelf as he recovered from surgery to repair a torn labrum coming out of UFC 306. Dvalishvili got back in the cage this past January at UFC 311, where he defended his title with a hard-fought unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. The result pushed Dvalishvili's winning streak to 12, which dates back to his third UFC appearance in September 2018. Here are the walkout times for the UFC 316 main event between Dvalishvili and O'Malley. When does the UFC 316 fight card start? The UFC 316 lineup consists of 13 fights. Early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, prelims at 8 p.m. ET, and the pay-per-view main card at 10 p.m. ET. Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2 walkout time As the main event, Dvalishvili and O'Malley are expected to make their walks to the octagon at approximately 12:30 a.m. ET. The fight streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
