The Green Bay Packers lost one of their most disruptive defenders when linebacker Edgerrin Cooper suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against Tampa Bay.
Now, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is putting considerable faith in the veteran standing next to him.
Gannon delivered a glowing assessment of Zaire Franklin on October 6 when discussing how Green Bay will handle Cooper’s absence.
“Z does an unbelievable job,” Gannon said, according to NFL writer Jason B. Hirschhorn. “He’s been playing very well. He’s making plays for us. He’s running the show.”
“Z does an unbelievable job. He’s been playing very well. He’s making plays for us. He’s running the show. Obviously, you guys know he’s the green dot. We put a lot on his
Gannon also pointed to Franklin wearing the green dot and handling a solid workload within his defense, saying the Packers “put a lot on his plate” and the 30-year-old has handled those responsibilities well.
Franklin was central to Green Bay’s plans. And Cooper’s injury makes his importance even more pronounced.
Franklin’s Role Grows After Packers Lose Cooper
The Packers acquired Franklin from the Indianapolis Colts during the offseason in exchange for defensive lineman Colby Wooden. Franklin had two remaining years of the three-year, $31.26 million extension he signed with Indianapolis in 2024.
It was a move centered on experience and leadership as much as production.
Franklin arrived after serving as a Colts captain for six consecutive seasons. He led the NFL with 173 tackles in 2024, earning his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors.
Green Bay handed Franklin its defensive communication duties. He entered the season wearing the green dot and relaying Gannon’s calls in the huddle, a role Franklin previously held in Indianapolis.
Through four games, he has produced 29 tackles, including eight in Green Bay’s 17-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That win came at a significant cost.
Cooper went down with a non-contact injury during the third quarter after recording nine tackles, one sack and an interception. An MRI later confirmed a torn Achilles that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.
The third-year linebacker had collected 30 tackles and three sacks through four games, making his production difficult to replace with one player.
Packers Will Need More Than Franklin to Replace Cooper
Franklin can steady the operation, but Green Bay will need contributions throughout Gannon’s defense to compensate for Cooper’s explosiveness.
Isaiah McDuffie replaced Cooper against Tampa Bay and finished with four tackles. The Packers also have Ty’Ron Hopper available behind the starters. Head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged Monday that neither can simply duplicate everything Cooper provided.
Safety Evan Williams showed how Green Bay can spread those responsibilities around. Williams recorded an interception and tagged his first career sack late against Tampa Bay as Gannon repeatedly called his number on pressure packages.
The Packers’s linebacker room exists around the Franklin-Cooper pairing. And that plan disappeared with one non-contact injury.
What’s left is a former All-Pro wearing the mic, directing the defense and having even more responsibility than Green Bay envisioned when it traded for him.
Gannon sounds comfortable putting that burden on Franklin.
Packers’ $31 Million Veteran Gets ‘Unbelievable’ Verdict in Wake of Edgerrin Cooper Loss