“The first thing I told him when I was traded was we was going to be the best duo in the world.”

Zaire Franklin might be new to Green Bay, but he's got big plans for himself and his new team. The 29-year-old linebacker was acquired in March via trade, with the Packers sending Colby Wooden — headed into the final year of his rookie deal — to Indianapolis in exchange for the former All-Pro. Now a few months into his time as a Packer, Franklin has started sharing his first impressions of the organization.

As excited as Franklin is to be a Packer, the feeling is mutual. When the Packers realized re-signing Quay Walker wasn't going to happen, Gutekunst made it a priority to find a veteran answer at middle linebacker. "I wanted to make sure we had an answer at middle linebacker, particularly one that might have some veteran presence," Gutekunst said, "and I think we were excited to accomplish that." It wasn't a fallback move for Gutekunst, either — he had his eye on Franklin for a long time, noting that he had tried to trade for him earlier in his career. Franklin also confirmed that, sharing that Green Bay had tried trading for him for six years.

Despite a down 2025 season, the Packers believe Franklin has plenty left. Matt LaFleur and Jonathan Gannon have both spoken glowingly about him, and the organization backed that up by giving him a new two-year deal with added guaranteed money. Franklin, for his part, sounds like a man ready to prove something. "After seeing that schedule release, I'm definitely excited to be a Green Bay Packer this season," he said. "It's been a blessing. Just thankful for the guys in the building, welcoming me in like I'm family, and it's definitely special momentum building in that building going into the season."

The 2024 league leader in tackles and 2nd Team All-Pro is looking to get back to that level — and Green Bay is betting he will.

Zaire Franklin agreed to a new deal with the Packers after the trade. Gets a $2m raise for his services in 2026 and $3.75m guaranteed, while keeping his 2027 cash the same.

This is not a cap saving move - 2026 becomes $125k more costly. No void years - just more money. pic.twitter.com/Wep34rDgLU

— Ken - Packers Cap (@KenIngalls) March 16, 2026

A New Home, A Fresh Start

The trade was an unexpected move, but Franklin had a sense his time in Indianapolis was winding down. "Chris Ballard made some comments just about how he wanted to adjust on defense. Drew told me that the Colts were pretty much planning on moving on this season," Franklin said. "In the same breath, Ballard called me and told me that literally two hours before he even made that decision, Green Bay had inquired about my services."

From there, the Colts shopped him around — and Franklin had options. "There was several teams that were interested," he added. "Much love to Ballard because he kind of gave me and my agent our choice of what opportunity fits us best." It's unclear which other teams were in the mix, but Franklin knew where he wanted to go.
Green Bay was at the top of his list, and the feeling was clearly mutual. "I just thought we handled it with class, and I went to a first-rate organization in Green Bay with a chance to compete for a Super Bowl this season." For a veteran linebacker entering what could be a pivotal chapter of his career, the opportunity to join a talented roster in Green Bay and reunite with a former coach was exactly what he was looking for.

Love at First Sight

Franklin had several options, so why Green Bay? The answer is simple — Jordan Love. "It starts with the quarterback. Jordan Love — I told him he was the main reason I came to Green Bay. I wasn't coming to Green Bay or going to an organization without a proven franchise QB, and he is that," Franklin said. "He's the type of quarterback you want to be around, great man in the locker room, competes his a– off every single day, is constantly working to get better. It's been a long time since I've seen a QB1 really raise up the level of everybody by his work ethic like that, so it's really dope to see."

The defensive side of the ball caught his attention too — particularly the player he'll be lining up next to every Sunday. Franklin and Cooper actually crossed paths before the trade, during joint practices last season. "I had the opportunity, grabbing young Edge and telling him I just respected his game by how he was growing in this league," Franklin said. "Just having been with him the last couple of months or so, just seeing how he works, his athletic ability — man, it's kind of funny, you're watching the young dude running and bend and dip and make all these moves. He's extremely talented. He's a playmaker. The first thing I told him when I was traded was we was going to be the best duo in the world.”

Franklin didn't stop there. He knows and is excited for what Micah Parsons brings to the equation, even if he'll have to wait a bit longer to share the field with him. "We've got one of the best defensive players on the planet in Micah Parsons. When you've got a quarterback and a pass rush, you've got a chance."

Zaire Franklin isn't just here to contribute — he's here to help lead an already talented group. "I think with those guys coming together, talent across the board…Coach LaFleur has been huge on preaching finishing the way we want to. Talking about having that killer instinct, and doing what it takes to get to that next step," Franklin said. "I think these guys are ready to take that next step. I'm ready to help lead them there and do my part to bring a Lombardi back to Green Bay."

“When you got a quarterback and a pass-rush, you got a chance.”#Packers LB Zaire Franklin joined The Insiders on @NFLNetwork to discuss his new team, his new coordinator, and what he thinks of the schedule. pic.twitter.com/iLORzxJ5MJ

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 16, 2026

Unfinished Business

Despite a new defensive coordinator, the Packers are expecting their defense to take another step forward in 2026. It will look somewhat different from years past, but how different remains to be seen. Franklin offered a glimpse of what to expect: "Our play style is going to be fast and physical, taking the ball away, with schematic and technical execution." Regardless of how Gannon structures his unit, Franklin will need to be at the center of it.

That's where the concern comes in. Franklin is coming off his worst season since becoming a full-time starter in 2021. With a new defensive coordinator in Indianapolis, it became clear he wasn't a fit for what the Colts wanted to do, and that showed up in his numbers. After three consecutive seasons of 165-plus tackles, Franklin finished 2025 with just 125 — a significant drop. He also forced just one turnover, which is worth noting given his bold talk about Green Bay's defense flying around and taking the ball away.

Franklin is only one year removed from an All-Pro caliber season, and if he can return to that level of play, look out. “We’re truly creating something special in that defensive room with pieces all over the board from McKinney to Micah,” Franklin said. “Definitely looking forward to seeing what it’s going to look like this fall. Again, just thankful to be in that building, thankful to be a part of a team that has so much history, and with such a bright future. It’s a lot of talent, it’s a lot of potential in that building, but we gotta go earn it every single day.”

The concerns are real, but so is the upside. Franklin is just one year removed from an All-Pro caliber season, and if he can get back to that level, the Packers' defense could be something special. He certainly believes it will be. "We're truly creating something special in that defensive room with pieces all over the board from McKinney to Micah," Franklin said. "Definitely looking forward to seeing what it's going to look like this fall. Just thankful to be in that building, thankful to be a part of a team that has so much history and such a bright future. It's a lot of talent, it's a lot of potential in that building, but we gotta go earn it every single day."

And if anyone had concerns about whether a guy who has played most of his career in a dome could handle a Green Bay winter, Franklin put that to rest quickly. "Hey, listen — I went to Syracuse. I ain't ever scared of the cold."