2026 Free Agent News Tracker

[Sanguine camper]

Is the trade more of statement about the Packers giving up on Wooden more than what they may like about Franklin? Zaire is not the type of player Gute goes after. Pushing 30 and on the downhill side of his career.

Franklin may be an insurance policy if Hopper can't make a jump in year 3.

I just don't see the trade making much of impact on either team. Wooden is undersized and Franklin is probably still going to be second fiddle.

 

[milani]

Is the trade more of statement about the Packers giving up on Wooden more than what they may like about Franklin? Zaire is not the type of player Gute goes after. Pushing 30 and on the downhill side of his career.

Franklin may be an insurance policy if Hopper can't make a jump in year 3.

I just don't see the trade making much of impact on either team. Wooden is undersized and Franklin is probably still going to be second fiddle.

Think the Packers were looking for some maturity and also depth because 2nd fiddle in a GB uniform usually means you get a lot of reps at 1st fiddle due to all the injuries.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Think the Packers were looking for some maturity and also depth because 2nd fiddle in a GB uniform usually means you get a lot of reps at 1st fiddle due to all the injuries.

Isn't that the truth! Hopper may also be a little too small to play the Mike LB position which would only leave Franklin and McDuffie for now. Franklin had a huge drop off in 2025. The Colts must have figured he wasn't going to rebound to being a solid starter.

 

[OldSchool101]

Had the Colts not lost their starting QB and made the playoffs I doubt the naysayers would be so ******* Zaire. He is not why they failed to get there. The Jags and Texans surprised the league by putting the South on the map for a change.

This is actually very true. The 7 game slide started with an OT loss to
KC 20-24.
So we have to put ourselves into a Colts fans’ shoes. The frustration is largely a response. They were 7-2 with their best start since 2009, the year Peyton Manning won MVP. They literally went on a 9 game skid. No team has ever went defeated after a
7-2 start in NFL history. So that’s a historical meltdown.

The Defense did suck in Pass D. 31st ranked in yards. Yet the Run Defense? #7 in yards #2 in rushing yards per play.

 

[OldSchool101]

Sean Rhyan agrees to stay in GB.
3yr $33M per Adam S.

Looks like he’s either our Starting Center or RG.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I hope Zaire Franklin works out for the Packers, but I found the article below and now my expectations are lowered a bit. Maybe a new team, new DC, new system will jump start Franklin

Colts writer sends Packers fans a warning after trading for Zaire Franklin

The Green Bay Packers didn't wait until free agency to steal the spotlight, making a rare player-for-player trade with the Indianapolis Colts to land linebacker

lombardiave.com

 

[OldSchool101]

I hope Zaire Franklin works out for the Packers, but I found the article below and now my expectations are lowered a bit. Maybe a new team, new DC, new system will jump start Franklin

Colts writer sends Packers fans a warning after trading for Zaire Franklin

The Green Bay Packers didn't wait until free agency to steal the spotlight, making a rare player-for-player trade with the Indianapolis Colts to land linebacker

lombardiave.com

Yeah. My guess is we keep him more stationary as a Stack Backer. Using increased Dime etc.

Q wasn’t very good in Pass coverage and I bet he signs a little higher maybe $10-11mil yearly

 

[DoURant]

Sean Rhyan agrees to stay in GB.
3yr $33M per Adam S.

Looks like he’s either our Starting Center or RG.

That's probably around the figure he would have gotten on the open market.

 

[milani]

Isn't that the truth! Hopper may also be a little too small to play the Mike LB position which would only leave Franklin and McDuffie for now. Franklin had a huge drop off in 2025. The Colts must have figured he wasn't going to rebound to being a solid starter.

It is unusual for the league leading tackler and Pro Bowler to fall off that far in one season except due to injury. How does a scheme change cause that? At any rate he will get the reps to prove whether he has it or not. I recall back in 2002 the Packers had a void at MLB and failed to draft a young one. They foolishly acquired Hardy Nickerson from Tampa Bay who, although he had a stellar career, was a 15 year veteran. The guy could no longer catch my grandmother in a foot race at his age. And it cost the team big time.

 

[Pkrjones]

Sean Rhyan agrees to stay in GB.
3yr $33M per Adam S.

Looks like he’s either our Starting Center or RG.

That contract obviously makes Rhyan a starter for the next few years, but where?
- He plugs the OC hole IF the Packers think he can drastically improve.
- He could fill the LG "hole" IF Banks is not who they thought he was, but that leaves a vacancy at OC, still.
- He takes over at RG if Belton is needed at LG or LT moving forward.
Very curious where the signing puts the OL...

 

[tynimiller]

Only 11 million guaranteed so this is strong possibility a two year and done for sure but likely easily walked away from after just one season.

Have to see the structure

 

[Sanguine camper]

I hope Zaire Franklin works out for the Packers, but I found the article below and now my expectations are lowered a bit. Maybe a new team, new DC, new system will jump start Franklin

Colts writer sends Packers fans a warning after trading for Zaire Franklin

The Green Bay Packers didn't wait until free agency to steal the spotlight, making a rare player-for-player trade with the Indianapolis Colts to land linebacker

lombardiave.com

Thanks for posting the article. LB's like Franklin who stink against the pass are killers in the red zone and third down. Defenses can't get off the field when the opposing team can convert by attacking a vulnerable LB in the middle of the field.

Perhaps on passing downs, the Packers can bring in a 3rd safety instead of a weak LB. That still opens the team up to getting gashed on first and second down.

 

[Sanguine camper]

That contract obviously makes Rhyan a starter for the next few years, but where?
- He plugs the OC hole IF the Packers think he can drastically improve.
- He could fill the LG "hole" IF Banks is not who they thought he was, but that leaves a vacancy at OC, still.
- He takes over at RG if Belton is needed at LG or LT moving forward.
Very curious where the signing puts the OL...

As I've posted before, keeping Ryhan at center and drafting a back up is an acceptable option. Its doubtful the Packers can or want to splurge in free agency to pick up a center. Signing Ryhan keeps the status quo if that means Jenkins is a cap casualty.

The best guess at O line for 2026 after this signing is Morgan at LT, Banks at LG, Ryhan at center, Bolton at RG and Tom at RT.

 

[OldSchool101]

As I've posted before, keeping Ryhan at center and drafting a back up is an acceptable option. Its doubtful the Packers can or want to splurge in free agency to pick up a center. Signing Ryhan keeps the status quo if that means Jenkins is a cap casualty.

The best guess at O line for 2026 after this signing is Morgan at LT, Banks at LG, Ryhan at center, Bolton at RG and Tom at RT.

Yeah my thought is similar. Rhyan graded out strong in the run game and weaker level in game *** protect. My initial thoughts are he only played 1/2 season of Center in 2025 and he’s mostly played RG. I doubt his first 1/2 season will be his best performance at Center.

So here’s my thoughts anyway.
1. He offers stability as it’s likely we lose a pair of starters from last season. Elgton and Rasheed.

2. Sean will get the entire Offseason and Camp and Preseason to focus at Center. Then he’s going to look more natural coming into year 2 imo and I’d expect at least a mild improvement in Pass Protect.

3. Last year Banks was newer and working through injuries on Sean’s Left side and he was leveling off grading more average as the season wore on.

4. On Sean’s Right side, Belton will similarly get an entire Camp etc. with the A team. Experience at OL helps and he did acquire some as a rotational player.

Theres a couple things I know for fact that have proven invaluable at OL and not just in GB.
First is that stability and continuity are very key. You don’t want to be switching Center each season. Now if a Top 75 Center is sitting there at Pick 120 then so be it.

 

[mradtke66]

Stuff got weird at center this off season. With th various retirements, sure looks like the market either corrected or at least spiked.

Felt like 1/2 the league needed a center , making drafting a starter unlikely.

 

[OldSchool101]

Stuff got weird at center this off season. With th various retirements, sure looks like the market either corrected or at least spiked.

Felt like 1/2 the league needed a center , making drafting a starter unlikely.

Yep. Well if there are even 8-9 teams that need a Center outside of GB it becomes a problem in the draft because we’re picking after 51 other competition. Which you’d likely be forced to use #52 overall on a RD3 graded player.

 

[milani]

Thanks for posting the article. LB's like Franklin who stink against the pass are killers in the red zone and third down. Defenses can't get off the field when the opposing team can convert by attacking a vulnerable LB in the middle of the field.

Perhaps on passing downs, the Packers can bring in a 3rd safety instead of a weak LB. That still opens the team up to getting gashed on first and second down.

And Gannon may move us back to a 3-4. I just hope we do not get a Blake Martinez covering TEs.

 

[OldSchool101]

And Gannon may move us back to a 3-4. I just hope we do not get a Blake Martinez covering TEs.

So it’s got to be something Brian is aware of. I’m sure they’ve talked about that and my early guess is you’ll see his coverage snaps drop markedly from 589. Just a hunch.

One concern I do have is his career 10.1% Missed Tackle Rate. I’m hypothesizing that it pairs with his high usage in Pass Protect. Quay is 5% career Missed Tackle.

Q got more looks in %blitz, but both look efficient in Rushing the Passer.

Zaire gave up a 100% Passer rating Vs Quay 94% career. Yet in 2025 they are near identical. 109% vs 108% passer so both sucked. Basically he’s Quay Walker 2.0 in many respects.

Quay is the very slightly preferred player head to head but only by a little bit. The thing is Q might be holding out to get a payday. Wouldn’t shock me to see him get a 3yr X $35mil or 4yr X $50mil or something like that.

I thinking you mitigate Zaire wandering out by keeping him home and Cooper covering the TE etc. that mixed with increased Dime. Narrow Zaire role a little bit and decreased scope to fit his strengths. He fits with a strong and deep box DB unit like GB

 

[AmishMafia]

I have pondered the meaning of the Wooden/Franklin trade and have come up with this:

Packers believe last year was an aberration for Franklin and we expect more of 2024 than 2025.

Gannon must need something different for DL and at MLB than we had on the roster.

Not sure what the plan is at DT but it just moved ahead of CB as our biggest need IMHO. Older cheap vets is my bet of what they are thinking for the short term with some draft picks for the future.

I liked Wooden. He looked really good early in the season but wore down. He was almost dominant at Detroit and Washington I thought if we could get another DT to take some of his snaps, he could keep up the high level of play throughout the season.

 

[OldSchool101]

Zaire ran a 1.55 sec 10-yard and 38” Vertical coming out which is super impressive Quay a 1.59 sec and 32”
Both hit 10.2 Broad jumps.

To tell you Zaire is Strong as an Ox
30 Reps of 225lb! He might be only 6’1 X 240lb.. but he does the pushing around.

 

[AmishMafia]

Sean Rhyan agrees to stay in GB.
3yr $33M per Adam S.

Looks like he’s either our Starting Center or RG.

I am a little disappointed. I like Sean Rhyan and think if he focuses on being a center he can be good. But we signed him for more than Tyler Biadasz got, 3/30. Biadasz has played at a high level for his entire career and is still as young as Rhyan. I would have saved a few million and gone that route.

 

[OldSchool101]

I have pondered the meaning of the Wooden/Franklin trade and have come up with this:

Packers believe last year was an aberration for Franklin and we expect more of 2024 than 2025.

Gannon must need something different for DL and at MLB than we had on the roster.

Not sure what the plan is at DT but it just moved ahead of CB as our biggest need IMHO. Older cheap vets is my bet of what they are thinking for the short term with some draft picks for the future.

Good thoughts. Due to those remarks, I’m about 65% sure Brian is about to bring in a Veteran iDL that substantial. At minimum a slight upgrade from Wooden + a RD2-4 type add.

I am a little disappointed. I like Sean Rhyan and think if he focuses on being a center he can be good. But we signed him for more than Tyler Biadasz got, 3/30. Biadasz has played at a high level for his entire career and is still as young as Rhyan. I would have saved a few million and gone that route.

Sure. As someone else pointed out the demand at Center shot up and the supply won’t meet that. My guess is Sean hit at the right time and made bank $. We’re poised and even an overspend of $2-3Mil annual isn’t a big gamble to retain a sure thing.

 

[AmishMafia]

Zaire ran a 1.55 sec 10-yard and 38” Vertical coming out which is super impressive Quay a 1.59 sec and 32”
Both hit 10.2 Broad jumps.

To tell you Zaire is Strong as an Ox
30 Reps of 225lb! He might be only 6’1 X 240lb.. but he does the pushing around.

I think Zaire's best attribute is his fire. He is the kind of emotional leader on the field that we need. His aggressive play is something I thought really limited Quay's effectiveness as a player.

 

[OldSchool101]

I think Zaire's best attribute is his fire. He is the kind of emotional leader on the field that we need. His aggressive play is something I thought really limited Quay's effectiveness as a player.

In many respects Q and Z are similar. Kinda like Q and Z! Let’s hope he doesn’t play like the Omega in the Alpha Bet!

 

[tynimiller]

I am a little disappointed. I like Sean Rhyan and think if he focuses on being a center he can be good. But we signed him for more than Tyler Biadasz got, 3/30. Biadasz has played at a high level for his entire career and is still as young as Rhyan. I would have saved a few million and gone that route.

The Rhyan contract is crazy better and "less" actually. Multiple news sources claim Biadasz got $20M guaranteed - that's insane if so and only guarantee money to Rhyan is $11M again according to multiple news sources.

The structure of the contract means far more than that overall figures. In truth Biadasz is likely locking you in with him for two years with that much guarantee....GB really truly I bet when we see structure is tied to Rhyan for one year only, and at most two years likely.

I mean imagine a world where 2026 sees 6-7M of that 11M guaranteed hit and we walk from him after eating just 4 million but maybe saving like $11M or however much the 2027 year is set to hit us with.....