The Indianapolis Colts have re-signed linebacker Zaire Franklin but they haven’t been active on the market just yet.
On Monday, the Indianapolis Colts agreed to bring back tight end Mo Alie-Cox on a three-year deal. On Tuesday, it was linebacker Zaire Franklin who got a new contract with the team.
Franklin agreed to return to Indy on a three-year deal worth $12 million. He has served as the special teams’ captain and has led one of the best units in football.
Zaire Franklin will continue to do that while also developing as a defender for Indianapolis.
The #Colts are re-signing LB Zaire Franklin on a three-year, $12 million contract with $4 million guaranteed, per source.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) March 15, 2022
Franklin is a special-teams ace and ascending defensive player at 25 years old.
While re-signing Franklin isn’t the big move many Colts fans have been looking for, it is a move that was necessary.
As stated, Franklin is a captain and one of the most-loved players on the team. That was demonstrated by his teammates’ reactions when Franklin got his first-career interception against the Buffalo Bills last season.
In addition to Franklin’s impact in the locker room, he leads a special teams unit that was named the second-best in the NFL. Special teams are typically overlooked but having a great unit is often the difference between winning and losing games.
Franklin will return and keep the special teams meeting their standard and he will also be able to continue his development as a defender.
At only 25 years old, Franklin has a lot of room to continue growing as a player. He was a starting outside linebacker last season, however, he only played 18% of the Colts’ defensive snaps.
Considering his age, there’s still a possibility that he can evolve into more than a special teams player.
You could say the guys were pumped for @ZiggySmalls_' first pick. pic.twitter.com/vrZLBb2WS8
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 23, 2021
While re-signing Franklin has its benefits, fans are ready for bigger moves from Indianapolis. Indy entered the offseason with roughly $70 million in cap space, the most in the league.
Many around the league expected a team that is close to Super Bowl-caliber to be more aggressive. It is still early in the process but that hasn’t been the case yet.
The coming days will be big for Indy’s future as everyone waits to see what moves will be made.
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