NFL Trade Rumors on Zaire Franklin as Colts Eye Salary Cap Space Amid Offseason

Add Zaire Franklin to the list of high-profile players on the trade market.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Indianapolis Colts are making Franklin available in trade talks as they look to get under the salary cap.

According to Spotrac, the Colts are currently about $4 million above the salary cap. Franklin has a cap hit of $8.2 million and a base salary of $6.2 million.

The 29-year-old has registered at least 125 tackles in four straight seasons. While 2025 was something of a down year by his own lofty standards (125 tackles, seven tackles for loss, five passes defensed, one forced fumble, two sacks), he remained productive for Indianapolis.

He was arguably the best linebacker in the sport in the 2024 season, leading the league with 173 tackles to go along with two interceptions, five forced fumbles, six passes defensed and 3.5 sacks. That earned him both a second-team All-Pro selection and Pro Bowl honors.

But he struggled defending the pass last season and teams facing salary cap crunches often value more positions more highly than others, however, with quarterbacks, edge-rushers, offensive tackles, wide receivers and cornerbacks often prioritized. That leaves other positions, like running backs and off-ball linebackers, with a smaller piece of the pie. In this case, it appears that it has put the Colts in a position where they've deemed Franklin expendable.

General manager Chris Ballard was fairly noncommittal when asked about Franklin's future with the team during the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I think you guys all know my feelings for Franklin," he told reporters. "We have a very close relationship. I thought he played good football, and the addition of Germaine Pratt, when we got him into the mix, he ended up adding a much needed Will [linebacker] that we needed. The future, we'll see. Pratt's up. Zaire's under contract, so we'll see how that ends up playing out."

And when Ballard said in January that he wants to see the Colts get faster and younger on defense, it was a hint that perhaps Franklin's future isn't in Indianapolis. That makes Thursday's report from Schefter less than surprising.