GREEN BAY – Packers training camp was on the horizon, and Zaire Franklin knew exactly what that meant.
It's time to ride some bikes.
While it had been six years since the last time the All-Pro linebacker hopped on a bicycle, Franklin was eager to participate in Green Bay's time-honored tradition.
The only problem was that Franklin wasn't totally sure of the protocol, so he messaged director of player engagement Grey Ruegamer for a quick tutorial on his way back to Green Bay.
"Like, 'Damn, was I supposed to buy a bike?'" Franklin inquired.
No worries, Ruegamer assured him. The bikes would be provided thanks to the hundreds of children who eagerly line up along the "Dream Drive" corridor to accompany players from the Lambeau Field facilities to Ray Nitschke Field.
True enough, the Packers linebacker indeed found a rider and safely made his way down Armed Forces Drive for his first training camp practice with his new team.
In many ways, it felt like a drive Franklin was destined to take.
"I didn't know what to expect. I ain't rode a bike in a little long," Franklin said. "I figured if I crashed, that'd be like a bad omen or something, but it was cool. I'm just glad to be here."
As lighthearted as the moment was, it underscored the transition Franklin made this offseason after the Packers acquired the 6-foot, 235-pound linebacker in a trade with Indianapolis.
Prior to March 11, 2026, the Colts were the only NFL team for whom Franklin played during his first eight seasons.
A partnership that began with Indianapolis selecting Franklin in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft saw the former Syracuse standout rise from a core special-teamer to an All-Pro linebacker who led the NFL with 173 tackles in 2024.
Franklin played in 132 of a possible 133 regular-season games for Indianapolis, missing just one game due to a knee and back injury in 2023. He was named a team captain and the club winner for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
Now, the Packers are looking to him to bring the same brand of durability and leadership to a talented but young Green Bay defense.
"I feel like leadership starts with a servant mentality and a true connection," Franklin sad. "For me, it all starts with learning the guys on this team, building genuine connections off the field and in the locker room, and truly getting to understand who they are as men.
"In terms of on the field, it's just me being myself. I'm a communicator. I'm a talker. I'm going to get people in order."
Franklin didn't want to leave Indianapolis. He loved the Colts organization and his teammates. But he likens his departure to a breakup where both sides still "love each other, but we probably should see other people."
The Packers were an enthusiastic suitor.
With Quay Walker departing for Las Vegas in free agency, General Manager Brian Gutekunst moved quickly to acquire Franklin and reunite the 30-year-old linebacker with Jonathan Gannon, a former Colts assistant who's entering his first year as Green Bay's defensive coordinator.
While beginning to carve out a leadership role on defense, Franklin also sees loads of potential within the linebacker room. When the Packers practiced against the Colts last August, Franklin made it a point to find Edgerrin Cooper and tell the Packers' young linebacker how much he respects his game.
Franklin believes Cooper has everything it takes to be a top linebacker in the NFL and wants to help the surging 24-year-old get there.
He also spent time watching film of sixth-year veteran Isaiah McDuffie, who Franklin has enjoyed bouncing ideas off in their short time together.
That feeling has been mutual for McDuffie, who's now the team's second-longest tenured player behind only quarterback Jordan Love.
"He's a great football player but he's a good person also," said McDuffie, who signed an extension with Green Bay earlier this month. "He's good to be around and definitely brings a lot of energy and a lot of experience. He's played a lot of ball, so I'm getting to pick his mind a little bit. It's been great having him in the room."
Despite entering Year 9, Franklin feels he still has plenty left in the tank. His fiery competitiveness and devil-may-care tenacity certainly are there, as evidenced when Franklin crashed down to punch the ball out of running back MarShawn Lloyd's hands after a pass during an 11-on-11 period on Wednesday.
While not visible underneath his green No. 44 jersey, a massive chip remains on Franklin's shoulders. As a former seventh-round pick who waited nearly five years to become a starter, it will never go away, and neither will Franklin's pursuit of glory.
No longer a Colt, Franklin acknowledges history will judge in three or four years' time whether it was the right decision for Indianapolis to trade him.
For now, all that matters is he's a member of the Green Bay Packers. From what he's observed so far, Franklin believes something special is brewing.
"I just feel like every moment that I've had in my career has prepared me for this moment," Franklin said.
"I truly feel like God placed me here. I feel like this is just a divine timing. I'm just blessed to be on a team and organization that's ready, that's got everything we need. The building's got everything we need. The organization's got everything we need. I'm just trying to come here and do my part."
