The Indianapolis Colts traded linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday in exchange for defensive tackle Colby Wooden, a swap that addresses pressing needs on both rosters just days before the start of free agency. The trade was confirmed by multiple sources and saves the Colts roughly $4.6 million against the salary cap while giving the Packers a proven starter at linebacker ahead of Quay Walker’s likely departure.
Franklin, who turns 30 in July, was due to count $7.005 million against the cap in 2026 and $9.005 million in 2027. Wooden’s base salary of $1.145 million represents a significant reduction, and the Colts’ ability to put the transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones had briefly pushed the team over the cap, making the financial relief from the trade immediately useful.
What Franklin brings to Green Bay and why the timing makes sense
Franklin is one of the most durable and productive linebackers in the league over the past four seasons, missing only one game since 2022 and making 67 starts during that stretch. He led the NFL with 173 tackles in 2024, a season that earned him a Pro Bowl selection and a second-team All-Pro designation. Last season he recorded 125 tackles and two sacks as the Colts transitioned to a new defensive system under coordinator Lou Anarumo.
The Packers are bringing Franklin in as a direct response to Walker’s expected exit. Walker, a first-round pick in 2022, became a free agent when Green Bay declined his fifth-year option last offseason. He posted a career-best 128 tackles in 2025 despite missing three games and is expected to command around $15 million annually on the open market. Franklin’s arrival gives the Packers a replacement at a fraction of that cost while the team redirects resources elsewhere.
Franklin steps into the first major addition for new Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, hired this offseason after Jeff Hafley departed to become the Miami Dolphins head coach.
Why the Colts made this move and what they get back
Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard made clear throughout the offseason that the defense needed to get younger and faster. Franklin’s profile as a downhill run-stopping linebacker fit the previous defensive scheme under coordinator Gus Bradley but became more exposed in coverage under the new system. His coverage numbers were a documented concern, with opposing quarterbacks posting a 103.1 passer rating when targeting him as the nearest defender, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
The 2026 NFL Draft is considered deep at linebacker, giving the Colts an opportunity to address the position through the draft rather than committing long-term to a player on the wrong side of 29. Ballard had spoken about Franklin with genuine respect at the combine before the trade was completed, acknowledging the player’s effort and value while leaving the door open for a change.
Wooden is what the Colts get in return, and he fits a real need. At 26, he is the type of young interior lineman Indianapolis has been seeking to back up Grover Stewart, who turns 33 in October and is in the final year of his contract. Wooden bulked up to over 290 pounds last season and emerged as Green Bay’s top run defender, recording 50 tackles and six tackles for loss. He did not produce as a pass rusher, but the Colts are not asking him to be one.
Veteran defensive tackles DeForest Buckner and Stewart remain under contract, and Wooden would slot in behind both while developing for a larger role once Stewart’s contract expires.
