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Linebackers & DBs Under Fire 👀 Packers Defensive Grades Revealed | No Huddle Radio #265

April 10, 2026·38 min·3 clips

Why did the Packers sign Zaire Franklin, and what does it mean for Tyron Hopper's future?

The reset starts with injuries. Gil Martin and Sean Tehan read the Packers season as one that began with promise and then got knocked sideways once the roster started taking hits. They sound ready to move on, but the grades still come from that context. Before the position talk, the episode keeps the Packers Talk rhythm: a sponsor mention, a little talk about the draft and football season getting closer, then into the linebackers. Edgerton Cooper gets the fun grade. The hosts see the range and versatility, enough that player of the year talk does not feel wild, but Sean is still hung up on how he was used. Last year, Cooper often looked like the safety valve behind the defensive line, possibly because the tackles were thinner than the edge group. Micah gets his due too. His first Packers year comes off as active and useful, especially with the interior depth making life harder for the linebackers. Then Zaire Franklin gives the room a different feel. The hosts like the thumper piece next to Quay Walker, and Gil keeps coming back to reliability. If Franklin is steadier than Walker, the linebacker beside him can play a little freer without the whole structure wobbling. That is where Cooper could cash in. The incomplete grades are not dressed up. Christian Welch, Jamin Johnson, and Nick Neiman land as special teams or practice squad pieces, so the hosts do not pretend there is a full defensive report card to hand out. The optimism is there, but it is tied to jobs, depth, trust, and what the coaches may ask from each guy. The finish loosens up with a Christian Watson trivia note about three national titles in college, a quick local establishment aside, and the usual Go Pack Go sendoff.

As heard by us

A brisk Packers linebackers-and-defense check-in that ties individual play to reliability, injuries, and Edgerrin Cooper's upside.

This Packers Talk segment stays on the linebackers and the larger defensive picture, with injuries shadowing most of the conversation. Gil Martin and Sean Tehan tie individual performances to bigger roster questions: who can be counted on, how the injury pileup changed the…

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Need a Packers defense breakdown that follows injuries, depth, and linebacker roles, not just the headlines?

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