The Green Bay Packers have found an unexpected answer on the edge in 2026. Brenton Cox Jr., a former undrafted defender, has played at a high level and put himself in position to cash in next offseason.

Cox has been an intriguing rotational pass rusher throughout his NFL career, but his role was very limited in his first three seasons. He played first under defensive coordinator Joe Barry and then under Jeff Hafley over the past two years. Under Jonathan Gannon, Cox has finally had a breakout season for Green Bay.

Outplaying a bargain contract

Cox was a restricted free agent in the offseason and, instead of getting a tender, he returned to the Packers on a one-year, $1.7 million contract. The deal also includes $750,000 in incentives, and he is on track to reach them based on how well he has played and how much he has been on the field.

Cox has outplayed that price tag and has been an impressive piece of the roster. The Packers needed a rotational presence on the edge, especially with Micah Parsons missing essentially the first two-thirds of the season.

Cox ranks second on the Packers with 26 pressures, and he has generated them in just 199 pass-rush snaps. Lukas Van Ness leads the team with 30 pressures, but he has played 251 pass-rush snaps. Van Ness has been the primary edge rusher, while the second spot has been volatile, with Cox, Barryn Sorrell, and Dani Dennis-Sutton splitting reps. Even with that limited workload, Cox’s production stands out.

Over the past few weeks, his role has grown. In the Packers’ 45-27 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, Cox led all Green Bay edge defenders in snaps, playing 54% of the defensive snaps. Van Ness and Dennis-Sutton played 51% each.

Gannon has seen Cox’s development and keeps giving him more opportunities. Against the Patriots, Cox posted four pressures, the most among the Packers’ edge defenders, and tied defensive tackle Karl Brooks and safety Evan Williams for the team lead.

A better fit for Gannon’s scheme

Cox’s style explains a lot of the jump. At 250 pounds, he is more of a bender, and that profile fits Gannon’s scheme better than the bigger edge defenders the Packers used to rely on. Green Bay now leans more on lighter edge rushers, and Cox is a great example of that shift.

The question is what comes next. Cox will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career next offseason. Based on his production, and considering he is still young at 26 years old, it’s very possible he leaves Green Bay for a big contract elsewhere unless the Packers step in with an extension of their own.

A crowded edge room and a crowded offseason

The edge defender position already carries significant financial commitments. Parsons is under contract through 2029, while Sorrell and Dennis-Sutton are also on long-term rookie deals. Collin Oliver is under contract through 2028, but his situation is different because he has barely played in the NFL due to injuries.

The curious case is Van Ness. He is under contract for 2027 through his fifth-year option, and it’s unclear whether the Packers want to extend him, trade him next offseason, or let him play out the option. If Green Bay decides to pay Cox instead of Van Ness, that would heavily impact the position group.

Money is the bigger obstacle, though. The Packers won’t have the cap room to extend everybody, and the defense is full of upcoming decisions. Karl Brooks is set to be a free agent. In the cornerback room, Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine will both hit the market next offseason as well. Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, Xavier McKinney, and Edgerrin Cooper are all in line for potential extensions, too.

That’s a lot of change for one unit to absorb, and Cox could easily end up as one of the tough calls. Nonetheless, the production he has shown this season has been impressive, and he has earned a big payday next offseason, whether it comes in Green Bay or elsewhere.