From being a veteran leader and captain in Indianapolis to being the new guy in Green Bay, the Packers are counting on the former All-Pro to be both a mentor and a playmaker

GREEN BAY — Zaire Franklin spent the offseason getting acclimated not only to the Green Bay Packers defense but also the lay of the land at Lambeau Field.

“It’s a little weird — a little intimidating, to be honest with you,” the veteran linebacker said during the team’s offseason program after general manager Brian Gutekunst acquired him in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts in March.

“When I was in Indy, I was there [for] so long, I was always the guy to try to help the new guys come in and figure everything out. Now, I’m the guy that’s looking for the help.

“I’m not a rook, so it’s not like I’m learning everything for the first time. I’m just trying to figure out where the bathrooms are.”

It’s safe to say Franklin eventually found the closest urinals. When training camp kicks off on July 29, he’ll be focused on figuring out how he fits into defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s system and running it as the on-the-field play-caller while wearing the green-dot helmet.

That job previously belonged to Quay Walker, whose free-agent departure for the Las Vegas Raiders led Gutekunst, who’d admired Franklin from afar and had tried to bring him to Green Bay several times, to send defensive tackle Colby Wooden to the Colts to get him.

“We’ve like Zaire for a while, quite frankly — [going] back to when he was not starting in Indy in his first few years. He was a really good special-teams player. We tried to acquire him then,” said Gutekunst, who also showed interest in getting Franklin at the in-season trade deadline not long thereafter.

“He’s been a really good player for a long time. Obviously a very good leader, was a captain there. As we realized it was going to be really tough to get Quay back, I wanted to make sure we had an answer at middle linebacker —  particularly one that might have some veteran presence. And I think we were excited to accomplish that.”

Franklin turned 30 on July 2, making him the fourth-oldest player on the roster behind backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor (who turns 37 on Aug. 3), defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (33) and long-snapper Matt Orzech (31).

He led the NFL in tackles with 173 during the 2024 season, when he earned second-team All-Pro honors and was named to the Pro Bowl. Last season, he had 125 tackles, two sacks, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble and five pass breakups.

A 2018 seventh-round pick from Syracuse, Franklin spent his first three seasons as a backup but has started 67 of a possible 68 games the past four seasons.

He has two years left on the three-year, $31.26 contract he signed before last season, a deal which calls for him to earn a $6.24 million base salary this year.

He crossed paths with Gannon in Indianapolis when Gannon was the Colts’ defensive backs coach, so he arrived with some insight into the 3-4 base system Gannon spent the offseason installing.

“We drafted Zaire when I was the DB coach there [in Indianapolis], so [I] obviously got to know him a little bit,” Gannon said. “They asked me about Zaire, [and I told the personnel staff he’s] team first guy, tough as nails, very smart. Obviously he’s had a very productive career. I’m really excited to have him.”

Franklin will line up alongside third-year man Edgerrin Cooper, who by his own admission didn’t have the big-play impact last season that he’d had as a rookie.

“I’m really looking forward to what’s going to happen [playing with him],” Cooper said.

What’s already happened? Franklin giving Cooper some of the tricks of the trade he’s gleaned while playing nearly 5,000 career defensive snaps — while knowing that he must be both a mentor and a playmaker.

“Because of my experience and just the things that I’ve seen and lived through, I’ve got a great perspective on [things],” Franklin said. ”A lot of guys, [with] where they are in their career [and] where this team is, [have asked] how you be successful and maintain yourself in the league for a long time. Guys have pulled me aside and asked me stuff, and I’ve pulled guys aside and talked to them. So it’s been good so far.

“Obviously, you want to be somewhere where you’re wanted and appreciated. I just feel like who I am and who I’ve been is just a great fit for this organization and what we’re trying to accomplish. So I’m just blessed to be able to be here and do my part to just try to help the team win.”

About our “Most Important Packers of 2026” Series:  When the Packers kick off their eighth training camp under head coach Matt LaFleur on July 29, they’ll do so with a host of players facing pivotal seasons. LaFleur clearly believes he has ample talent to be a Super Bowl contender — and felt that way about last year’s team until an avalanche of injuries to key players ultimately took its toll — but turning that belief into reality will require a host of players to elevate their games (and stay healthy).

This series, which began in 2010 on ESPNWisconsin.com, examines each of those players and how the team’s success hinges on their contributions. It factors in not only their individual importance but also the innate importance of the position and the depth the team has — or lacks — at the position they play. The list is compiled with input from team observers, former players and NFL sources.

​COPYRIGHT 2026 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.