Packers Save Money But Did They Win Linebacker Trade?

Financially, it makes sense. The Packers have an expensive roster, with Jordan Love and Micah Parsons playing under top-of-market contracts, Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs not getting any cheaper, and a contract extension looming for Tucker Kraft.

Does it make sense on the field?

The Quay Walker-Zaire Franklin Linebacker “Trade”

Quay Walker was a productive player, even if he never was quite the sum of his parts. Walker and established NFL stars Lavonte David, Demario Davis, Bobby Wagner, Patrick Queen and Foyesade Oluokun are the only players with four consecutive seasons of 100-plus tackles and five-plus tackles for losses. That’s rare company.

From the 2022 draft class, no other player – regardless of position – has more than two such seasons.

“He’s obviously played very well for us in his time here and been an exceptional leader, and losing him would be tough,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. “I think we have guys in house that can play and fill in if that’s not the case, but a lot of respect for Quay and if we’re able to get him back, I would be all for that.”

Instead, Gutekunst traded Colby Wooden – his best run-stopping defensive tackle – to the Colts for Zaire Franklin.

In 14 games in 2025, Walker had 128 tackles (58 solo), 2.5 sacks, eight tackles for losses, five passes defensed and zero turnover plays (interceptions, forced fumbles, recovered fumbles). Franklin in 17 games in 2025 had 125 tackles (62 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for losses, five passes defensed and one turnover play (a forced fumble).

Can Franklin, who will turn 30 on July 2, turn back the clock? He was coming off consecutive seasons of 167 tackles in 2022, 179 tackles in 2023 and 173 tackles in 2024 with 11 turnover plays (nine forced fumbles, two interceptions) during that span.

According to Pro Football Focus, in 2025, Walker’s missed-tackle rate was 7.1 percent, about half of Franklin’s 13.9 percent. Walker’s pass-rush win rate of 9.1 percent was about double Franklin’s 4.6 percent. While neither player is a coverage stopper, PFF charged Franklin with the sixth-most coverage yards among linebackers in 2025, fifth-most in 2024 and most in 2023.

Packers, Colts Swap Captains

Both linebackers were team captains. Walker took the playoff loss to the Bears hard. Afterward, he lamented the coverage miscommunications and said the “sense of urgency got to be up” in “win-or-go-home” games.

“As bad as I want to sit right here and say we should have won the game, we didn’t execute and that’s been a problem for us,” Walker said. “Honestly, just finishing games, putting guys away. Even before I got here, I feel like this always been a part of this organization when it comes down to big games, like finishing games.

“When you start out (strong) in the first half, it comes down to can you finish? Nobody cares what you did in the first half. It just comes down to when the fourth quarter hits double zeros or whatever the case may be, do we have more points than them? And that hasn’t been the case at all.”

Franklin was a captain each of his final six seasons. He had a linebacker’s mentality.

“I think every year I've come in trying to expand my game and find ways to impact the game,” Franklin said after he was named second-team All-Pro in 2025. “Obviously, tackling is in my opinion, a measure of hustle and determination and just being around the ball. From Day 1, I was told a linebacker's job is to hit the ball.

“That being said, playing with great players and being around all the greatest players – take the ball away and they help affect and change the game. And that's something I've been focusing on. I've been putting a lot of time in.”

The Packers will move into 2026 with Edgerrin Cooper and Franklin as the primary linebackers. Isaiah McDuffie will return, as well, 2024 third-round pick Ty’Ron Hopper will vie for a bigger role and Nick Niemann was re-signed for his work on special teams.

Ultimately, the success of this decision – and, perhaps, the success of the entire decision – will hinge on whether Franklin can turn back the clock to be the stud he was in previous seasons. Even with a discounted contract when compared to the deal Walker will ink with the Raiders, the Packers are betting on it.