Packers Activate Defensive End, and He’s ‘More Feisty, Violent’ Than Ever

GREEN BAY, Wis. – As expected, the Green Bay Packers placed running back MarShawn Lloyd on injured reserve on Friday and activated defensive end Brenton Cox in time for Saturday night’s game at the Chicago Bears.

Along with activating Cox, the Packers downgraded rookie defensive end Collin Oliver from questionable to out.

Cox suffered a groin injury in Week 1 against Detroit and was placed on injured reserve. After three weeks of practice, he essentially will take the place of Micah Parsons on the roster.

“It means everything,” Cox told Packers On SI on Thursday. “Just seeing this game being taken away from me early in the season made me even more hungry. I’m a little bit more feisty and a little bit more violent to get out there. Just keeping my poise and having fun.”

Cox signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2023. After playing four games as a rookie, Cox was a healthy scratch for the first half of last season before getting his opportunity following the midseason trade of Preston Smith. He was impactful with four sacks and five tackles for losses in seven games.

This year, he was eager to build on that momentum but made it through only eight snaps against the Lions in the opener.

“Yeah,” Cox was disappointed, he said, “but it comes with the game. If you play football, you know it’s coming now or later. Just to get it out of the way and be able to return for the season was a big plus. That’s what I prayed about the whole time was just being able to return.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Cox’s pass-rush win rate was a team-best 17.0 percent in 97 pass-rushing snaps. Among all edge defenders with at least that many opportunities, that ranked 12th out of 130. That was better than Rashan Gary (44th), Lukas Van Ness (77th), Smith (91st) and Kingsley Enagbare (101st).

What made him such a factor?

“Just getting after it, pinning my ears back and going,” he said. “I think I can get out here and do the same thing if I have that same mindset – that attack mindset – and going out there and having fun.”

This year, he made the roster even after the blockbuster trade for Parsons.

“Oh, man, fast, physical, aggressive player, confident, swagger,” Gary said this week. “Just the player I’ve seen grow throughout the past year. Even having him back past couple of practices just been great. Seeing him get off the ball, setting edges, things like that, him building his confidence and his just understanding that we need him to go and be the player that he’s been being.”

Coach Matt LaFleur said Cox was looking good at practice.

“I always feel good when it’s time to go out there on the field,” Cox said. “It’s just about going back out there and making plays.”

Cox, obviously, won’t be able to replicate the production of Parsons, who had 12.5 sacks in 13 games. But he believes he can be a piece to the puzzle in helping his position group overcome a colossal injury.

“Oh, for sure,” he said. “It’s a bummer that his knee went out on him like that. I wish I could’ve got back and played with him but that’s the way it is. Bad timing on my end, I guess, but I’m praying for Micah and, hopefully, he can get back to what he’s used to doing it.”

The Packers finished sixth in the NFL in points allowed last season. That’s a little better than the defense with Parsons this season from a statistical perspective, but there’s no denying the game-changing ability of the NFL’s leader in routh-quarter/overtime sacks.

“Having a guy like Micah, it raises everybody’s game,” Cox said. “Not having that guy to raise everybody’s game, somebody else has to step up. Last year, we did it without him. This year, we’re forced to do it without him. I think we’ll be all right.”

Cox believes he can be one of those players who can step up.

“Always,” he said. “Last year, I stepped up and did what I had to do. I’m always going to play my part. I’m going to do what I have to do to help the team. Whatever my position is on the field, I’m going 100 percent.”

As for Lloyd, he suffered a hamstring injury at practice last week. The Packers placed him back on injured reserve, with the hope that he can potentially be designated for return again if the team makes a playoff run.

“His explosiveness is great,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “Obviously, his injury bug is extremely unfortunate. At some point, we got to get him out there so he can realize that potential.

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