The New York Giants released starting linebacker Bobby Okereke on Tuesday, ending a three-year run in which he started 46 games for the franchise. During that span, Okereke recorded 385 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and four interceptions.
Okereke is headed to free agency and should attract interest quickly around the league. The Green Bay Packers could be one team worth watching. Quay Walker is heading into free agency. Moreover, the depth behind him does little to inspire confidence. Ty’Ron Hopper hasn’t really started, while Isaiah McDuffie has been average against the run but a liability in coverage.
As impressive as Edgerrin Cooper has been, he can’t carry the entire workload at the second level by himself. Okereke is not a flawless player and has some limitations, but he brings experience and a solid track record as a defensive signal-caller.
Suppose the Packers are looking for a veteran Mike linebacker to step into the role potentially vacated by Walker, while also avoiding a move that would affect their compensatory pick formula. Then, Okereke represents a sensible short-term option. His presence would also allow Cooper to spend more time in his natural Will role, where he has been at his best.
Green Bay will also likely field one of the NFL’s youngest rosters again in 2026. Youth has been a core part of the roster-building strategy under Brian Gutekunst since 2023. Still, there are moments when experience becomes just as valuable – particularly late in games and in high-pressure situations.
The Packers have struggled to close out some of those moments recently, including two tight losses to the Chicago Bears. Adding a few seasoned veterans could help stabilize the roster when those situations arise again. If the goal is to finally get over the hump, supplementing a young core with experienced players may be part of the equation, something Gutekunst has indicated he is not opposed to doing.
“I wouldn’t say that’s a line of demarcation at all,” Gutekunst said during his season-ending press conference when asked about the possibility of signing older players. “I think, obviously, we went through a period of time where we were kind of growing with these young guys, and I would expect these guys to kind of turn into those guys.
“Sometimes, particularly where we’ve been the past few years, if you have a lot of those guys you’re talking about, these other guys don’t get to play and progress. And they have now.”
Sure, the Packers could look to address the position in the draft, especially with this year’s linebacker class considered particularly strong. But that approach would likely mean lining up Edgerrin Cooper next to another player whose fit and readiness at the NFL level is unknown. Or it could mean rolling with Ty’Ron Hopper and Isaiah McDuffie, neither of whom has shown enough at the pro level to fully solidify the position.
Signing Bobby Okereke in free agency would give Green Bay a more stable short-term solution while still leaving the door open to draft and develop a prospect on Day 3 – someone like Harold Perkins Jr. That approach would allow the Packers to balance immediate needs with long-term development at the position.
Multiple teams will likely be interested in Okereke in free agency. At 30 years old, he is hardly past his prime for a linebacker. The Packers could likely land him on a deal in the range of $7-9 million per year, making him a relatively affordable short-term solution.
More importantly, he would provide a stabilizing presence at one of the roster’s thinnest positions once you take Edgerrin Cooper out of the equation. Even as a temporary fix, that kind of veteran presence could help steady the unit while the Packers continue to search for a long-term answer.