Packers make unusual contract decision that signals real confidence in a player they just acquired

The Green Bay Packers are truly excited about the potential of having linebacker Zaire Franklin. To the point where they made an unusual adjustment to his contract right after acquiring him from the Indianapolis Colts in a trade for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.

Pay raise

The Packers actually gave Franklin a pay raise without anything in exchange. Initially, Franklin had two years left on his deal with the Colts — making around $7 million in 2026 and $9 million in 2027. Green Bay bumped Franklin's 2026 salary to $9 million as well.

The team lost $125,000 in cap space this season and almost $2 million next offseason with the move, without any material benefit — it wasn't a real extension, just a pay raise, which is unusual for a franchise like the Packers.

Zaire Franklin didn't have any guarantees on his old deal, and now he received a $3.75 million signing bonus.

Zaire Franklin's contract details

2026

• $4.24 million base
• $3.75 million signing bonus ($1.875 million cap hit in each season)
• $765,000 available in per-game bonuses
• $250,000 in workout bonus
• $9.005 million in total cash
• $7.13 million cap hit

2027

• $7.99 million base
• $765,000 available in per-game bonuses
• $250,000 in workout bonus
• $9.005 million in total cash
• $10.88 million cap hit

The Packers felt confident that the trade plus the contract adjustment will allow them to have a veteran starter at linebacker, while letting Quay Walker leave in free agency — the former first-round pick got a $13.5 million on yearly average from the Las Vegas Raiders.

Zaire Franklin will be 30 years old in July. A former seventh-round pick, he spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Colts. It's not what the Packers prefer to do, but this has been a very different set of offseason moves — and general manager Brian Gutekunst wants more experience on the roster.