Colts Trade Zaire Franklin to Packers for Young Defensive Tackle

It's official. The Indianapolis Colts are trading long-time linebacker and former Pro Bowler, Zaire Franklin, to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.

The #Packers have traded DT Colby Wooden to the #Colts for LB Zaire Franklin, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 7, 2026

This trade is great for both parties. The Packers needed more linebacker help, and the Colts needed more depth around DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart in the defensive interior.

The writing was on the wall for Franklin once we saw how he performed in Lou Anarumo's dynamic defensive scheme in 2025.

While Franklin has never been one for coverage in past seasons, he was at least not a complete liability. However, that became a brutal reality in Anarumo's first season as defensive coordinator.

Franklin's Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 29.9 was almost the worst for any linebacker out of 88 eligible players, finishing 85th.

This led to opposing quarterbacks peppering Franklin with targets, and the linebacker couldn't handle the volume more often than not.

Franklin also had a brutal year with missed tackles, logging an unenviable 21, which was 81st among eligible linebackers.

In short, Franklin wasn't a fit for what Anarumo wanted to accomplish with his linebackers.

Franklin concludes his time with the Colts with quite an impressive resume after eight seasons in the Circle City.

132 games (82 starts)
738 tackles (led the NFL in 2024 with 173)
34 tackles for loss
10.0 sacks
26 pass breakups
10 fumbles forced
3 interceptions
Pro Bowl (2024)
Second-Team All-Pro (2024)

It's safe to say that for a former seventh-round pick out of the University of Syracuse, Franklin destroyed any expectations. He'll look to continue writing his underdog story in the NFC North.

BREAKING: The #Packers are trading for #Colts Pro Bowl LB Zaire Franklin, per multiple sources.

Franklin started 82 games for the Colts and had 738 tackles, 10 sacks and 10 forced fumbles with them. pic.twitter.com/W4v5cFZBcS
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 7, 2026

As for Indy's newest addition, Wooden is a young defensive tackle who had the best year of his short NFL career with Green Bay in 2025.

Wooden is 25 and will fit in nicely with Indy's defensive tackle rotation. Last year, Wooden put up 50 tackles, six tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, a pass breakup, and 11 pressures through 17 games and 16 starts.

While Adetomiwa Adebawore is on the last year of his rookie contract, Neville Gallimore is a free agent and did well in 2025 on his one-year deal as a rotational piece for the defensive interior.

It will be interesting to see if Indianapolis re-signs Gallimore or turns to the NFL draft for more defensive tackle depth.

With Franklin's departure, be on the lookout for the Colts to invest heavily into the linebacker position in free agency and the NFL draft.

Currently, the Colts have Austin Ajiake, Jaylon Carlies, Segun Olubi, and John Bullock in their linebacker room. Given that Franklin is on his way out, Germaine Pratt could be in store for a re-signing.

Pratt joined the Colts during the 2025 season, reuniting him with Anarumo after spending six years with him in Cincinnati. Pratt finished his short time with the Colts with 101 tackles, five tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, and an interception.

The Colts are already making room for their salary cap and putting pieces in place to help Anarumo in 2026, this was merely a big one to get out of the way.

With this trade, the Colts are officially out of their salary cap hole but will have more work ahead as free agency looms on March 11th.

The #Colts now have $154,289 in salary cap space, per Over the Cap, and are therefore cap compliant.

There’s obviously more work to do, I’m told. https://t.co/4OX8hCaOU5
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) March 7, 2026