Who Is Zaire Franklin? Inside the Green Bay Packers’ New Defensive Addition

Packers' Young Playmaker Could Be 'centerpiece For Years To Come'

The Packers‘ revamped linebacking corps could be the key to Green Bay’s defense reaching its potential this season.Trading for veteran tackles magnet Zaire Franklin could free up Edgerrin Cooper to reach his full potential, and the sky might be the limit for the emerging third-year star, who garnered All-Pro votes as a rookie.Packers’ Edgerrin Cooper vital to defense’s future Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) beats a block by Chi…

Who Is Zaire Franklin? Inside the Green Bay Packers’ New Defensive Addition

The Green Bay Packers didn’t replace Quay Walker with a developmental player—they replaced him with one of the NFL’s most productive tacklers. The Packers acquired linebacker Zaire Franklin through a trade with the Indianapolis Colts on March 11. The deal sent defensive tackle Colby Wooden to the Colts in return. The move was, in part, a preemptive strike. One that was made before the team’s testing of the free agency period, in case Walker bolt…