Would any Indianapolis Colts fan really buy the idea that Zaire Franklin is “one of the top players in the NFL”? Probably not.
That’s how Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber opened a recent piece on the linebacker, and while the story was centered on Franklin’s work away from the field, the lead was still a jarring one for anyone who watched him in Indianapolis. Franklin was a solid player at times, but he was never the kind of difference-maker that label suggests. And by the end of his Colts run, his issues in pass coverage had become impossible to ignore.
That matters now because the Colts may actually be better off at inside linebacker without him. Indianapolis used the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on CJ Allen out of Georgia, then added Bryce Boettcher from Oregon in the fourth round.
Both players have drawn strong reviews from coaches during offseason workouts, and Allen looks set to start in Week 1 while also serving as the likely green dot on Lou Anarumo’s defense. Boettcher could work his way into a starting role during the season, too.
The appeal with both rookies is simple: they can handle coverage duties far better than Franklin ever did. Over the last four seasons, since Franklin became a full-time starter, Pro Football Focus says he has posted a passer rating allowed of at least 103.2 each year.
That number has climbed every season since 2022, reaching 109.3 in 2025. He also surrendered more than 10 yards per catch on average across those four seasons, which is rough production for a linebacker.
The comparison to Devin Lloyd makes that even clearer. Lloyd, who used to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars and now is with the Carolina Panthers, has allowed about nine yards per catch in two of the last three seasons.
He also had five interceptions last season and gave up only one touchdown. Franklin, in eight seasons, has just three interceptions.
Boettcher’s college tape at Oregon gives the Colts another reason to believe they upgraded. He allowed a passer rating of only 74.7 in 2025, and while college numbers don’t guarantee anything in the NFL, that figure at least suggests he brings something Franklin never consistently had in coverage. Both Boettcher and Allen are also strong tacklers.
So while Huber’s article may have been intended to highlight Franklin’s off-field impact, the football case is much less flattering. The Colts have a real chance to field a better defense in 2026 and beyond without him, because the weaknesses that kept showing up in his game were too easy to target. That’s a hard thing to square with the idea that he was ever truly “one of the top players in the NFL.”
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