Franklin Could Practice for Packers in Week 9
Coach Matt LaFleur said linebacker Zaire Franklin, sidelined by a hairline shin fracture, could return to practice next week.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Football
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said linebacker Zaire Franklin could practice for the team in Week 9, after Franklin missed multiple games with a hairline fracture in his shin. Franklin's absence has reshuffled the linebacker group, with Isaiah McDuffie moving to Mike linebacker full-time.
Why it matters
Franklin's possible return would restore a starting linebacker to a unit that has been reorganized around his absence. With linebacker Edgerrin Cooper out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, Franklin's availability affects depth at a position already short on healthy players.
Aaron Banks played 69 of his 91 season-long offensive snaps (76 percent) last week, as he managed knee tendinitis and a toe injury this season. Whether Banks' health stabilizes enough to hold a steady role at left guard has not been addressed.
The players
Matt LaFleur
LaFleur is the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, an NFL head coach who has led the franchise since 2019.
Zaire Franklin
Franklin is a Green Bay Packers linebacker whose shin fracture has sidelined him for multiple games this season.
The details
LaFleur said Franklin, who has missed multiple games with a hairline fracture in his shin, could practice in Week 9 against the New England Patriots. In Franklin's absence, McDuffie has moved to Mike linebacker full-time, allowing Ty'Ron Hopper to play Will linebacker full-time, and the team promoted Arron Mosby from the practice squad to contribute on kicking plays. The Packers are sticking with kicker Trey Smack, and Laken Tomlinson has moved from left guard to right guard for the first time in about a decade.
Timeline
Nov. 2, 2026: LaFleur addressed Franklin's Week 9 status at his Monday press conference.
Week 9: The Packers face the New England Patriots, with Franklin a possible return.
Season Trajectory
Cooper's season-ending placement on injured reserve means the Packers must rely on McDuffie, Hopper and depth players while Franklin is out. Franklin's possible Week 9 return would ease the linebacker shortage as the team works through its injury-driven roster changes.
If Franklin returns, fantasy managers tracking Packers linebackers will need to reassess McDuffie and Hopper's roles. The Packers' linebacker rotation directly determines which players see snaps in the defense.
The takeaway
Injuries are reshaping Green Bay's linebacker rotation, and Franklin's possible return would bring stability back to a group that has leaned on depth players. Readers following the team should watch the Week 9 injury report to see whether he is cleared to play or only practice.
What happens next
Franklin's status for Week 9 against the New England Patriots will be clearer as the team's practice reports come out during the week.
Further reading
For more on the team's injury situation, see Football coverage of the Green Bay roster.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Acme Packing Company.
