Why did the Green Bay Packers agree to trade veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin on Saturday, just days before the new season begins? The expected departure of free agent linebacker Quay Walker, a 2021 first-round pick and 2025 team captain, is the obvious answer. The Packers and Walker have been unable to find common ground on a new contract, and there is expected to be a “strong market” for Walker once he becomes a free agent, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The statutory tampering period begins on Monday. The new league year arrives on Tuesday afternoon. By Monday, Walker could have a deal in place with a new team. By Tuesday, he may be a very wealthy man.
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Currently, the No. 1 player on the off-ball linebacker market is Fred Warner, with an annual salary of $21 million. Walker can reasonably expect to make $15 million, a number both Nick Bolton and Jermaine Sherwood have reached in recent years.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently projected Walker to sign a three-year, $42 million free agent deal. This equates to $14 million per year.
It’s clear that the Packers decided Walker wasn’t worth his asking price and reversed course, selecting Franklin — who will come with a two-year deal that lacks guaranteed money and will cost the Packers about $7 million against the 2026 salary cap. Walker and Franklin have each played a lot of games over the past four seasons. Like Green Bay’s Walker, Franklin is a captain in Indianapolis.
The Packers declined Walker’s fifth-year team option last offseason, but given the price of the linebacker option, the team really had no choice. After letting Walker play out his rookie contract without an extension, the Packers will now likely let him find a big contract in free agency.
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The upside here is that the Packers will save against the salary cap in 2026 and beyond and will almost certainly receive a fourth-round compensatory pick in the 2027 draft for losing Walker (assuming they don’t offset the loss by signing an unrestricted free agent). The gamble here is that the Packers let a first-round pick walk after four years and replace him with a player who will turn 30 in July.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers news: Free agent LB Quay Walker expected to have ‘strong market’
