Micah Parsons Reacts to Packers' Reported Zaire Franklin Trade amid Rashan Gary Rumors

The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to trade linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers for defensive tackle Colby Wooden, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Packers star edge rusher Micah Parsons provided his honest reaction to the news on Saturday:

The trade news dropped amid some confusion about the future of defensive lineman Rashan Gary in Green Bay. The seven-year veteran said on Instagram that his time in Green Bay was done, but he later deleted the post.

ESPN's Rob Demovsky then reported Gary "has not been told he will be released or traded. In addition, Demovsky was told "his IG account was hacked."

However, Gary has still been the "subject" of trade talks, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Acquiring Franklin will give the Packers some peace of mind when free agency opens. According to Pelissero, the team is facing the potential loss of linebacker Quay Walker, who "is expected to have a strong market."

The Colts selected Franklin with a seventh-round pick out of Syracuse in the 2018 NFL draft.

He's been a tremendous steal. Over his last four campaigns, Franklin has averaged 161 tackles per season, including an NFL-high 173 in 2024. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro Second Team honors during that season.

Franklin stayed productive in 2025 with 125 tackles (62 solo).

Now he'll be a Packer and join a Green Bay team that was rolling at 9-3-1 last year but ended the season on a five-game losing streak (including playoffs). They played nearly all of that stretch without Parsons, who had 12.5 sacks in 14 games in his first season with the team after the Dallas Cowboys traded him.

Parsons suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos and missed the remainder of the year.

With Gary's status with the Packers uncertain, and with Walker set to hit free agency, it's no surprise potential defensive changes were looming. Now Green Bay has made one in adding Franklin, although they had to part ways with a starting defensive tackle in Wooden, who started 16 of 17 games and made 50 tackles (26 solo).