Ex-1st Round Pick Poached From Packers by Division Rival

Getty Packers former practice squadder Jamin Davis

The Packers appear to have hit on a good young inside linebacker with Edgerrin Cooper, their second-round pick from the 2024 draft. Cooper has only started once in his 10 games, in Week 8, but has been a key member of the rotation at the position, playing 45% of the defensive snaps for the Packers this year.

Still, overall, the linebacking crew in Green Bay has been only so-so. Veteran Eric Wilson is having a very good year, but the big step forward many hoped to see from 2022 first-rounder Quay Walker has not materialized in Year 3.  The same can be said for Isaiah MacDuffie, who played for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley at Boston College but has seen his snap counts slowly diminish as the year has gone on.

All this is to say that the Packers need as much depth as they can get in their linebacking rotation. And that took a hit this week when the Vikings stepped in and poached a practice-squad project the team had brought in earlier this season: former Washington first-round pick Jamin Davis.

Packers Won’t Get a Chance to See What Jamin Davis Can Do

It had been a rocky road for Davis ahead of the Packers losing him. Davis was selected with the 19th pick in the 2021 draft by the Commanders. He was a starter at linebacker for his first three NFL seasons, but was inconsistent and new coach Dan Quinn, who has a defensive background, looked at him and saw a defensive end. It was a good opportunity for Davis, especially heading into a contract year.

But it did not work out, and the Commanders released Davis in late October. The Packers then scooped him up.

It’s rare for a coach to go out of his way to praise a player the team just cut, but Quinn did just that after the Commanders let Davis go.

“Man, what a good teammate, Jamin,” Quinn said. “So, like yesterday, getting a chance to visit with him definitely left a strong impression. And sometimes there’s good that comes after the hard stuff, and he’s somebody that we’ll definitely be watching and pulling for. He really worked hard during his time here.”

The Packers could not carve out a spot on the 53-man roster for him. Now, it seems, the Vikings will.