A practice collision with a Sunday cost
Zaire Franklin will not play when the Green Bay Packers visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The linebacker hurt his shin in Thursday’s practice, and coach Matt LaFleur explained on Friday that Franklin “got kneed in the shin” in a collision. LaFleur called it an unfortunate part of the game, especially with how hard the team has been practicing, and expects the injury to be short-term.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
A defensive anchor in his first Packers season
Franklin is 30 and came over from Indianapolis in a March trade after spending his first eight NFL seasons with the Colts. He made the Pro Bowl in 2024 and was a seventh-round pick in 2018. Through his first six starts in Green Bay he sits second on the team with 41 tackles. Over 138 career games, 88 of them starts, he has 779 tackles, 10 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and three interceptions.
Who fills the gap
Ty’Ron Hopper and Isaiah McDuffie will see more snaps, with Nick Niemann available if needed. LaFleur said the team has confidence in all three.
The timing is awkward. The Packers (4-2) are heading to face an NFC North rival in the Lions (3-2), and they will do it without their second-leading tackler.
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