Green Bay Packers Acquire Former All-Pro LB To Pair With Edgerrin Cooper

Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers front office are making moves this offseason, as they sent defensive tackle Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for former All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin.

It is a straight player-for-player swap, giving up Wooden, who was depth at defensive tackle. Wooden had a solid 2025 season for the Packers, finishing with 50 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and a pass deflection.

However, with Devonte Wyatt set to return from injury and Green Bay looking to add a defensive tackle in the draft or free agency, trading Wooden away for another position of need was wise.

Franklin has had some productive seasons at linebacker for the Colts, including earning All-Pro Second Team Honors in 2024. In that season, he finished with 173 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, five forced fumbles, and six pass deflections. 

However, he is coming off an underwhelming 2025 season. Franklin had 125 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, six quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and five pass deflections.

He has been a tackling machine, often finishing near the top of the league in total tackles, but has struggled in pass coverage and was among the leaders in missed tackles.

The Packers will look to get him back to the form he showed a couple of seasons ago while playing alongside star linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. Cooper will be entering his third season and has continued to show improvement year after year.

In 2025, he finished with 118 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and four pass deflections.

With Cooper's ability to rally to the football and lead the Packers' defense, a veteran like Franklin could have a bounce-back campaign playing alongside him.

Acquiring Franklin also shows that former first-round pick Quay Walker is on the way out. It was expected that Walker would leave in free agency, despite Green Bay's attempt to bring him back, as he is likely to command a strong market.

Franklin has the potential to be a solid replacement, but even if he struggles, the Packers have Isaiah McDuffie under contract, who could take on a bigger role.

Gutekunst will now have to address the defensive tackle position around Wyatt through free agency, a trade, or the draft after moving Wooden.

PackersRoundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Packers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.