Packers’ new defensive addition sends ‘dominant’ warning to rest of NFC

The Green Bay Packers have high expectations on them coming into 2026 after a 2025 season that was derailed by injuries. Green Bay has had Super Bowl hopes for a number of years now, but a series of crushing defeats in the postseason have always derailed their hopes.

Despite a crushing Wild Card Round loss to the Chicago Bears a season ago, the Packers felt comfortable mostly running it back with the same roster coming into 2026.

Linebacker Zaire Franklin was one of the additions that the Packers made in order to improve one of their relative weaknesses. At training camp on Wednesday, Franklin wasted no time claiming that Green Bay can be one of the best defenses in the league in his first season there, via Ryan Wood of USA Today.

“There’s no substitute for experience,” Franklin said. “I’ve been in a lot of situations in this league, [Xavier McKinney] has been in a lot of situations in this league, Micah [Parsons]. And this team has grown. They’re not the young team that they were two or three years ago. The Green Bay Packers is ready to take that next step. We’re ready to be that dominant team to take over the league. Just build off of everything they had building last year, and let’s go ahead and be that dominant team.”

Having Franklin on the field will certainly go a long way toward helping the Packers improve on defense. The former Colts starter has racked up 644 total tackles over the last four seasons, including a league-leading 173 on his way to a Second Team All-Pro nod in 2024. He also had two interceptions and 11 tackles for loss during that season, and Green Bay will be hoping for similar production in 2026.

The Packers’ defense will also get a midseason boost from the return of All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons, who is still working his way back from a torn ACL. Parsons is one of the best overall players in the NFL at any position, so getting him back will be a massive midseason boost to what Matt LaFleur hopes is an improved unit.

The post Packers’ new defensive addition sends ‘dominant’ warning to rest of NFC appeared first on ClutchPoints.