The Green Bay Packers weren’t expected to make any moves prior to this week’s free agency flurry, but on Saturday morning, they welcomed a new player, veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin, into the fold.

With former starter Quay Walker almost certainly leaving Lambeau, Franklin is likely to be plug and play for the Green and Gold.

Here’s a look at what the Packers got in return for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.

Proven Leadership

Before we discuss Zaire Franklin’s production on the gridiron, I think that there’s a more important facet of this trade to consider, and that’s Franklin’s history as a team leader.

Coming out of Syracuse in 2018, Franklin was only the second player in program history to be a three-time captain, and that quality has translated to the professional level as well.

After being drafted in the seventh round by the Colts, Franklin was named a team captain after just two seasons in the league, and he held that captaincy for six years until his trade to the Packers.

In 2023, Franklin was also nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which speaks to his value in the community as well.

With Quay Walker not expected to return in 2026, Green Bay will need a new shot-caller on defense, and Zaire Franklin already has experience in leading a team and wearing the green dot.

It seems pretty likely that Franklin will take up that role with the Packers as well, and given Green Bay’s youth on defense—particularly at linebacker—in the past few seasons, a veteran presence could contribute significantly to better overall play.

Despite the fact that Franklin seems to have a bit of a reputation as a trash-talker, similar to Keisean Nixon, I think that adding some more fire will be great, as long as he can avoid being penalized for it.

Prior to last season, Franklin’s performance seemed to back it up, at least for the most part, and the Green Bay Packers could use some grit.

Stalled Production

The biggest red flag with Zaire Franklin is undoubtedly his 2025 season.

After leading the league in tackles in 2024 and earning himself a Pro Bowl selection, as well as second-team All-Pro honors, Franklin’s production fell off a cliff.

The former Colt’s effectiveness against the run dipped significantly under new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, and he wasn’t too great in coverage either.

That resulted in one of the position’s worst PFF grades, as well as one of the league’s worst missed tackle rates at 13.2%.

The last thing that the Packers need is more missed tackles, but with Franklin moving into a better scheme fit in Green Bay, there’s reason to believe that he could return to form.

Per PFF, Zaire Franklin has ranked 6th among linebackers in defensive stops and 5th among linebackers in tackles for loss since 2022, and the Packers would love to see that continue with a bit a refresh.

At the very least, there will be a sense of familiarity, as new Packers’ hire Jonathan Gannon coached Franklin with the Colts from 2018 to 2020, before he was a consistent starter.

With the Green Bay Packers scheduled to take on seven million dollars for Franklin in 2026, one can only hope that we’ll be getting more than a glorified Blake Martinez.

The Needs Are Clear

While the Green Bay Packers were able to shore up their linebacking core with the addition of Zaire Franklin, the loss of Colby Wooden in exchange makes the team’s needs in the rest of the offseason clear.

Following Wooden’s departure, the Packers are pretty sparse along the defensive front, and now that they have a new starter at linebacker, more resources are likely to be allocated to that position.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see general manager Brian Gutekunst make several selections to bolster the defensive line in the draft, especially with the depth of the talent this year, and free agency will be an option as well, with several proven veterans available.

Regardless of what the Packers decide to do, this move seems to indicate that the team will be just as active this offseason as the past few years of Gutekunst’s tenure.

Here’s to a repeat of 2024’s signing successes, instead of 2025’s lack thereof.