The Green Bay Packers acquired linebacker Zaire Franklin out of presumed necessity, which eventually proved true. However, he caught the eye of the club's general, Brian Gutekunst, eons ago.
Gutekunst spoke fondly about one of his biggest offseason additions when addressing the media at the 2026 NFL Annual Meeting. He highlighted how the Packers are getting an established commodity in Franklin. Yet, oddly enough, the former admitted that Green Bay was interested in the latter before his ascension with the Indianapolis Colts.
"We've liked Zaire [Franklin] for a while, quite frankly, back when he was not starting in Indy in his first few years. Really good special teams player," Gutekunst told reporters (h/t Matt Schneidman of The Athletic). "We kind of tried to acquire him then."
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst reveals Zaire Franklin was a target long before trade
Franklin apparently made his mark as a key piece of the Colts' kicking game in more ways than one. The 2018 seventh-round pick managed to stick around for long enough to carve out an every-down defensive role with strong efforts in football's third phase. Moreover, he also put himself on the Packers' radar quite some time ago, which ultimately paid dividends for both sides.
Green Bay ostensibly knew they were going to lose Quay Walker, who's now with the Las Vegas Raiders, to free agency. So, Gutekunst wanted to bring in a respected leader and "veteran presence," and feels he did so with Franklin.
Meanwhile, Franklin steps into a full-time role for a playoff contender in Green Bay after falling out of favor with the Colts. It's an ideal turn of events for him. He'll be the Packers' field general and should have plenty of chances to make plays behind star pass rusher Micah Parsons (when healthy).
In hindsight, it's easy to see why the Packers were in on Franklin well ahead of trading for him. His physical, relentless approach to the game, durability and experience are all valuable traits. The one-time All-Pro has shown what he's capable of; only the Jacksonville Jaguars' Foyesade Oluokun has more tackles since 2022.
Following a down 2025 campaign, a change of scenery could do wonders for Franklin. He'll form an intriguing duo with burgeoning third-year pro Edgerrin Cooper in the middle of the Packers' defense.