Veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin bringing an emotional edge to Packers defense

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Zaire Franklin’s involvement in the first scuffle of Green Bay’s training camp this week came as no surprise to his new Packers teammates.

Franklin earned a reputation for his ability to irritate opponents while making the transition from seventh-round draft pick to Pro Bowl linebacker in eight seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Now he’s bringing that personality over to the Packers, who acquired Franklin in a March trade that sent defensive lineman Colby Wooden to Indianapolis.

“When I’m on the field, I’m a completely different person,” Franklin said Tuesday, two days after getting into a brief skirmish with running back Chris Brooks. “My mentality in between the white lines is ultra-competitor — like, ultimate alpha. Like I want to challenge the best, the biggest. I don’t want no little guy. I want to go against the baddest (guy) out there. That’s how I feel. I feel like I’m the best. I’m the baddest (guy) on the planet when I’m on the field.”

The Packers are counting on the 30-year-old Franklin to provide that attitude to their defense as he steps in for Quay Walker, who led Green Bay in tackles each of the past four seasons before the Las Vegas Raiders signed him.

“When we realized that Quay probably wasn’t going to be back in in Green Bay, I wanted to make sure that we had someone who could step in and had already done it and played at a high level,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “Certainly, Zaire has done that. And I also think you know playing that middle linebacker spot, there’s a bit of a personality and edge you have to have, and I think that can bleed into your team. He has that, and I’m excited to see if he can kind of bring some of that to our football team.”

That energy level has been apparent thus far in workouts.

Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon says he wants players with “high football character” and believes that includes guys who enjoy practicing. Gannon says he sees that in Franklin.

His teammates have noticed as well.

“He’s a dog,” defensive tackle Javon Hargrave said. “You just know when he’s out there, he’s going to make some plays and make sure we’re right. He’ll have the whole defense motivated to go out and dominate.”

Franklin has an NFL-leading 644 tackles over the past four seasons, and he earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2024. The Packers hope he can create more takeaways than they’d been getting from the middle linebacker spot.

Walker intercepted one pass and recovered one fumble during his Green Bay tenure, and all three of his forced fumbles came in his rookie season. Franklin has forced 10 fumbles over the past four seasons and has three career interceptions.

“It’s called a ‘takeaway,'" Franklin said. “You’ve got to take something from somebody, you know what I’m saying? So that’s just the energy. That’s just the mentality. And I think we’ve got the guys to do that.”

Franklin has extra motivation this year as he adapts to a new team for the first time in his career.

“These guys have heard who I am, but it’s up to me to prove who I am every day to them, to this fan base and city and this organization,” Franklin said. “That’s something I take pride in. That’s something I take personally.”

NOTES: The Packers claimed defensive end Arden Walker off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings. ... RB Josh Jacobs returned to practice Tuesday after missing nearly two weeks with a groin issue. ... Hargrave (knee), Guard Aaron Banks (knee) and CB Domani Jackson (core) participated in 11-on-11 drills for the first time since the start of training camp.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here