Packers' Linebacker Draft Dilemma in 2026

0:00It's April 20th. I'm Corey with The Story. This is NFL News Today, driven by AI and built for football fans. The Green Bay Packers head into the 2026 NFL Draft with just 8 picks and no first rounder after trading for Michael Parsons. They've made the playoffs three years running under Jordan Love, but keep falling short of a deep run, stuck at seven seed or division around exits. Linebacker stands out as a spot with roster questions they might target to build for the future. And now, their linebacker group looks solid short term in a 3-4 base defense. Edger and Cooper anchors as the rising star through 2027, while Zaire Franklin, a 2024 pro-bola, steps in for Quay, walker through the same year. Depth comes from Isaiah McDuffie, Tyron Hopper, Nick Neeman, and Christian Welch, covering starters and special teams without urgent holes. Long-term though, needs ramp up to moderate. They can cut Franklin after 2027, McDuffie's in a contract year, and Hopper's yet to prove

1:00starter material in year 3. Cooper's their cornerstone, but no real young backups mean an overhaul could hit soon. Chances of drafting here sit low to moderate since short-term depth is set. The class offers OK Tallinn, thicker on day 2 with guys like Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech or Anthony Hill Jr. from Texas, thinning out later. Jaden Dugger from Louisiana Lafayette visited pre-draft as a 7th round fit, and they might snack undrafted athletes too. Last linebacker taken was Hopper in the 3rd round of 2024. Packers could grab a day 2 prospect to start by 2027, or play the long game, turning this draft into the spark to push past NFC. Contenders