3 Zaire Franklin Replacements the Colts Must Now Pursue in Free Agency

Before free agency opened, the Indianapolis Colts said goodbye to one of their franchise staples in linebacker Zaire Franklin. The team performed a player swap trade with the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Colby Wooden, ending Franklin's eight-year tenure with Indy.

Later in free agency, the Colts lost special teamer and backup linebacker Segun Olubi to the Las Vegas Raiders, officially creating a massive gap in the heart of the Colts' defense.

As things stand, the Colts' top three linebackers include Jaylon Carlies, Austin Ajiake, and John Bullock. The three of them have six combined starts, with Carlies having all six.

The Colts will need help at linebacker, so here are three free-agent options still on the board in the second week of free agency.

1) Bobby Okereke

Okereke is a former third-round pick by general manager Chris Ballard, and after a three-year stint with the New York Giants, he's back on the open market.

In 2025, Okereke tallied 143 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, six passes defended, and two interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, he also missed 21 tackles, the same number as Franklin.

The Colts would know exactly what they're getting in Okereke. At 29 years old, he's still got plenty of football left in him, but signing him wouldn't exactly fulfill Ballard's wish of getting younger and faster on defense.

Okereke can play all three downs and is a proven leader. He wouldn't be a change in direction as much as he is a continuation of Franklin's play style.

2) Logan Wilson

Acquired by the Dallas Cowboys on deadline day, Logan Wilson spent half of the 2025 season as a starter in Cincinnati and the other half as a rotational piece in Dallas.

Wilson spent the first five years of his career primarily as a starter in Lou Anarumo's Bengals defense. Across 83 career games, Wilson has racked up 565 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions, 26 passes defended, 5.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles.

The Colts need a coverage linebacker, and in the early years of his career, Wilson was exactly that. He understands his role in Anarumo's defensive scheme, so this would be a logical veteran signing who could immediately become a starter.

In 2024, which was Wilson's last year under Anarumo, he recorded a 90.0 PFF run defense grade. If Anarumo can unlock that same version of Wilson in Indianapolis, this would be a no-brainer.

3) Germaine Pratt

Similar to Wilson, Germaine Pratt is an experienced veteran with years of practice in Anarumo's defensive scheme. In his temporary stint with Indy, Pratt played decent football.

In 12 starts with the Colts, Pratt racked up 101 total tackles, five tackles for loss, eight passes defended, an interception, and a forced fumble. That level of production projects to roughly 140+ tackles over a full season, which essentially replaces Franklin's numbers.

Pratt would be a cheap option, and considering the Colts' current cap situation, they could use any bargain deal they can get. Pratt would a full-time starter and veteran leader for the Colts' defense, and considering his history with Anarumo, it's another signing that would make perfect sense.

If the Colts really wanted to get wild, they could bring in both Pratt and Wilson. That duo worked well together for the Bengals for many years, and they could repeat their success in a new city.

Overall Thoughts

All three of these guys have played as a MIKE linebacker at the professional level. The Colts need a new "quarterback of the defense", and any of these options would bring much-needed experience and veteran leadership.

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