PFF: Packers Can’t Afford to Lose This Free Agent

The Green Bay Packers don’t have a lot of must-sign players among their upcoming free agents, but this veteran was a huge asset on defense and special teams.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones is tackled by Green Bay Packers defenders Keisean Nixon (25) and Eric Wilson. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers do not have a bumper crop of free agents they must re-sign this offseason.

Of Green Bay’s 11 unrestricted free agents, only center Josh Myers played even two-thirds of the snaps in 2024. Linebacker Eric Wilson, however, was Pro Football Focus’ choice as the one free agent the Packers “can’t afford to lose.”

“The Packers have major questions at linebacker, aside from standout rookie Edgerrin Cooper,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman said. “Wilson represents a good depth option who flashed some play-making ability across his 559 snaps in 2024.”

Wilson played 51.2 percent of the snaps on defense and a team-high 321 snaps on special teams (72.6 percent). He finished seventh on the team with 63 tackles on defense and added two sacks, seven tackles for losses, one interception, one forced fumble and two passes defensed. Plus, he tied for second with nine tackles on special teams.

The numbers are the numbers, and they are impressive. However, after Quay Walker suffered an ankle injury at Seattle that sidelined him for the final three games of the regular season, more was asked of Wilson. Not only did he see a substantial increase in playing time, he became the every-down linebacker and green-dot communicator.

“He’s got to get the call from me, he's got to give that to everybody, he's got to make checks up front, he's got to make checks behind him, he's got to calm everything down, he's got to get certain guys lined up,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said after Wilson replaced Walker at Seattle.

“Eric's a really smart player. When you've got to get that green dot halfway through a game, that's not easy. Some of our calls can be kind of lengthy. So, for him to make a tackle, get up, shake off whatever has happened, gather everybody up, tell everybody the call, hear something else I might tell him what I think is coming to tell this guy or that guy, and then line up and make a close call, there's a lot that goes into that. He's a veteran guy who brings a calmness. I think he's had success doing that.”

Remarkably, in Week 17 at Minnesota, Wilson played 72 snaps on defense and 23 snaps on special teams – a whopping 95 snaps. That was the second-most for any player in a game this season.

“I think the No. 1 thing with Eric, he’s in supreme physical condition,” special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who nicknamed Wilson “Body Beautiful,” said before Week 18 against the Bears. “I think he never loses focus in practice because he’s tired for any reason. He never loses focus in the game. He’s able to play multiple positions.”

That includes all three linebacker positions on defense and every phase on special teams. Against Minnesota in Week 17, Wilson went from the left wing on the punt unit to personal protector after Zayne Anderson suffered a concussion.

“He’s able to just do all those things at a really high level,” Bisaccia added.

Wilson, who turned 30 in September, started 12 games this season – his most since starting 15 of his 16 appearances during his superb season with the Vikings in 2020.

He didn’t start any games for the Packers in 2022, when they signed him off the Saints’ practice squad early in the season, or last year. This year, though, he became an incredible asset, including an interception and forced fumble against the Colts, two sacks against the Texans and three games of nine tackles.

“I just think Eric’s a really tough, smart football player,” linebackers coach Anthony Campanile said. “He came into camp in great shape. He’s a tough guy, super-, super-diligent in his preparation. When I say, ‘a smart guy,’ I think he’s the type of guy that knows pretty much why he’s doing what he’s doing and what everybody’s doing around him. Really coachable, so fun guy to coach, fun guy to be around in the room.

“I thought everything we asked him to do since I’ve gotten here, he’s just gotten better and better at it little by little. He’s the same guy every day, which is very hard to do in any walk of life, in any occupation – certainly in professional football – but that’s one of the great things I can say about him.”

The Packers re-signed Wilson to one-year contracts after the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Following the trade of Preston Smith, he became the only player on offense or defense who was 30-plus years old.

While Edgerrin Cooper looks like a building block on defense and former first-round pick Quay Walker will return, Wilson and fellow linebacker Isaiah McDuffie are among the team’s unrestricted free agents.

“Eric, that guy right there, he's a guy that loves football like no other,” Cooper said.

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