Edgerrin Cooper Is Done for the Season and Chris Brooks' Ankle Leaves MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson to Carry Green Bay

The Green Bay Packers lost two pieces from their Week 4 win in Tampa, and both matter for Sunday's game against Chicago. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper tore his left Achilles tendon in the third quarter of the 17-14 victory, the MRI confirmed it Monday, and the team placed him on injured reserve Tuesday, ending his season. Running back Chris Brooks hurt his ankle in the second quarter of the same game, underwent further tests this week and did not practice Wednesday.

With Josh Jacobs still on the commissioner's exempt list, that leaves MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson as the only running backs on Green Bay's active depth chart heading into a 1 p.m. ET kickoff at Lambeau Field.

Cooper's injury and the linebacker reshuffle

Cooper went down without contact, away from the play, and could not put weight on his left leg before he was carted off. Head coach Matt LaFleur called him a tough one to lose and said after the game that he suspected the injury was season-ending. The third-year linebacker had nine tackles, a sack and an interception before he left Sunday, and he had 30 tackles, three sacks and an interception on the season. The team's hope is that he is ready for the start of the 2027 season.

Green Bay signed Kristian Welch from the practice squad to take the roster spot and added rookie Jack Dingle to the practice squad. On the field, Zaire Franklin and Isaiah McDuffie are the expected starters, with Ty'Ron Hopper stepping into a larger role. Franklin said Wednesday he has a lot of faith in the backups.

The bigger problem is cumulative. Micah Parsons is not expected to practice this week, and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported it could be November before he returns. Without Parsons on the edge and Cooper in the middle, the Packers' front seven is missing its two most disruptive players for a matchup against a Bears offense that just ran Kyle Monangai 30 times for 146 yards.

The backfield without Jacobs or Brooks

Jacobs has been on the exempt list since late August over two misdemeanor charges stemming from a May incident. He can attend meetings and receive treatment, but cannot practice or play, and the league has not announced a decision. His next court date is reportedly Nov. 17. Green Bay traded for Johnson from Pittsburgh to cover the gap, but the job has never settled.

Week 4 showed why. All three backs played, and all three had issues.

Brooks was the most efficient runner of the three, and his absence removes the steadiest early-down option. LaFleur had no definitive answer on the ankle Monday, and Wednesday's report listed him as a non-participant. If he cannot go, local reporting expects Green Bay to elevate veteran Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad. The Packers also brought Damon Bankston back to the practice squad on Tuesday.

The offensive line is another concern for the run game. Guard Aaron Banks (knee, toe), Jacob Monk (quadriceps) and Jager Burton (back) all missed Wednesday's practice, and Anthony Belton (knee) was limited.

Who to add and who to start

MarShawn Lloyd is the back to roster first. He led the group in snaps by a wide margin in Week 4 and caught five passes, which gives him a floor in PPR formats even when the rushing efficiency is poor. If Brooks is ruled out, Lloyd is a flex play with RB2 upside in full-PPR leagues. His efficiency has been the problem (13 carries for 37 yards in Week 1, 7 for 13 in Week 4), so the case is volume and receptions rather than talent breaking through.

Kaleb Johnson is the better pure runner on the evidence so far, but his 17 snaps and a goal-line fumble make him a riskier start. He is the add for managers who want the early-down and short-yardage share if LaFleur loses patience with Lloyd. Treat him as a deep-league flex this week and a stash beyond it.

Brooks is a drop candidate in shallow leagues until he practices. Jacobs stays stashed only in leagues with deep benches or reserve slots that accept exempt-list players; there is no timeline.

On the other side of the ball, the Cooper and Parsons absences upgrade the Bears' running backs. Whichever of Monangai or D'Andre Swift is healthy enough to lead Chicago's backfield gets an improved matchup, and Bears tight end Colston Loveland benefits from a lighter linebacker group in coverage. The Bears' own injury questions are covered in our Chicago practice report this week.

The defensive picture for Sunday

Cooper was the rangiest player in Green Bay's linebacker room, a 118-tackle player in 2025 who was on a similar pace this season. Franklin and McDuffie give the Packers experienced starters, so the group is not empty. The likely drop-off is in range and speed, which is exactly what Chicago's run game under Ben Johnson is designed to test.

The Packers are not without good news. Cornerback Brandon Cisse, who left Sunday's game with a concussion and neck injury, was a full participant Wednesday. Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (ankle) and edge Lukas Van Ness (shoulder) were limited, so the front could still get bodies back by Friday.

Betting angle and what to do in your league

The read for Sunday is that Green Bay's ground game is fragile and Chicago's is not. That points toward a game script where the Packers need Jordan Love, who did not appear on Wednesday's injury report, to carry the offense, and away from trusting any Green Bay rushing prop until the depth chart settles. Verdexed's game-by-game call is on the NFL predictions page (/nfl/predictions), and the full Week 5 slate is at /blog/nfl-week-5-picks-2026.

For fantasy: add Lloyd first, Johnson second, and start Lloyd as a PPR flex if Brooks sits. Start Chicago's lead back with more confidence than usual, and keep Loveland in lineups.

What's next

Thursday and Friday reports on Brooks are the swing factor for Green Bay's backfield. A Strong elevation on Saturday would signal Brooks is out and could thin Lloyd's and Johnson's touches slightly. Watch, too, whether the Packers add a veteran linebacker; they reportedly worked out several this week, including former Pro Bowler Deion Jones. Parsons' return, possibly in November, is the next real boost for this defense. Until then, Green Bay is asking its depth to hold up in a division game it cannot afford to lose.