Big Trade by Packers Fills One Need, Creates Another

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers pulled off a big trade on Saturday, acquiring former All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin from the Indianapolis Colts for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.

Franklin, who will turn 30 a few weeks before the start of training camp, started all but one game the past four seasons. In 2024, he was a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro when he led the NFL with 173 tackles.

Wooden, who is only 25, went from being a healthy scratch to start the 2024 season to starting 16 games in 2025. He was “The General” of Green Bay’s run defense.

Trade Sends Clear Signal at Linebacker

The trade sends a clear signal about the future of Quay Walker, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent on Monday. The team’s first-round pick in 2022, Walker was one of six NFL linebackers with four consecutive seasons of 100-plus tackles and five-plus tackles for losses.

“We have [talked], and this week’s an important week for all that stuff to gather the information to see if that will be possible,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine.

“But he’s obviously played very well for us in his time here and been an exceptional leader, and losing him would be tough. I think we have guys in house that can play and fill in if that’s not the case, but a lot of respect for Quay and if we’re able to get him back, I would be all for that.”

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs against Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker in 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The trade for Franklin, however, pretty clearly signals that Walker has played his final snap with the team. The team will roll into 2026 with Edgerrin Cooper, Franklin, Isaiah McDuffie and Ty’Ron Hopper. The team also could bring back special teams ace Nick Niemann, though both he and Kristian Welch are set to be free agents.

Even while sitting out three games in 2025, Walker set a career high with a team-high 128 tackles, had his second-best season with eight tackles for losses and five passes defensed, and produced his third consecutive season with 2.5 sacks.

“I just think there’s so much growth in him – as a person, as a leader, maturity,” then-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said last year. “And then on the field, he sees the game so much quicker right now.

“His football knowledge, the way he’s starting to see things and call runs out and call passes out and get guys lined up, if you watch him right now, it’s almost like he’s a quarterback back there, moving a wide receiver over here, checking this. He’s moving defensive linemen. He’s sliding over linebackers. He’s talking back there with ‘X.’ He’s starting to see things before they happen, which is really, really impressive.”

Of 64 linebackers to play at least 500 snaps, Walker ranked 12th in missed-tackle percentage (nine misses; 7.1 percent), 42nd in completion percentage (82.2) and 56th in passer rating (120.8; five touchdowns). He tied for 21st with 9.1 yards allowed per catch.

However, he was torched through the air in the playoff loss to the Bears. During his final three seasons, he had one interception, zero forced fumbles and zero fumble recoveries. So, for all the tackle production, he didn’t make many game-changing plays.

Big Addition at Linebacker

Franklin entered the league as a seventh-round pick in 2018 out of Syracuse. After three seasons playing mostly as a backup, he started 11 games in 2021 and then 67 of a possible 68 games the last four seasons.

The numbers are impressive, with a four-year average of 161 tackles. He was a playmaker, too. The last four years, he had 33 tackles for losses, 10 sacks, 23 passes defensed, two interceptions and 10 forced fumbles.

In 2025, he had 125 tackles, including two sacks and seven for losses, plus one forced fumble and five pass breakups.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (44) tackles Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel. | Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Of 64 linebackers to play at least 500 snaps, according to PFF, Franklin ranked 46th in missed-tackle percentage (21 misses; 13.9 percent), 26th in completion percentage (77.3) and 39th in passer rating (109.3) and 48th with 10.5 yards allowed per catch.

Over the last four years, Walker and Franklin each gave up eight touchdowns.

Trade Creates Huge Hole on Defense

The Packers had a need on the defensive line, anyway, where they were not stout enough with Devonte Wyatt, Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks playing the lion’s share of the snaps.

Now, Wooden is gone, so the need has been ratcheted up.

“The General” deserved a salute after starting zero games as a rookie fourth-round pick in 2023 and one game in 2024. Wooden played 489 snaps his first two seasons and 587 in 2025. The production soared. After a combined 37 tackles and three tackles for losses in his first two seasons, Wooden had 50 tackles, including six TFLs, in 2025.

“The nose, everything starts with the nose,” Wooden said. “The run game, the pass, everything starts with the nose. So, for me to be the nose, it’s kind of looked at like the general of the defense, hold it down.”

While Wooden is a nonfactor as a pass rusher with a half-sack for his career, the run defense was 0.13 yards per snap better when he was on the field in 2025.

The Finances

Franklin is under contract through the 2027 season. He has a base salary of $6.24 million in 2026 and $8.24 million in 2027. With the Colts on the hook for the signing bonus that was part of the three-year, $31.26 million contract extension signed in 2024, Franklin’s cap charges are $7.005 million in 2026 and $9.005 million in 2027.

The Packers were briefly on the right side of the salary cap after restructuring Xavier McKinney’s contract. Not anymore. The addition of Franklin puts Green Bay at about $1.944 million over the cap.

Other moves, obviously, will be forthcoming, including the potential releases of Rashan Gary and Elgton Jenkins.

Packers linebackers news ... and it's not the Zaire Franklin trade. ⬇️https://t.co/eLrDmpx7ge
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) March 7, 2026

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTER