GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay linebacker Zaire Franklin has a shin injury that will keep him from playing Sunday at Detroit, leaving the Packers without their second-leading tackler.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that Franklin took a knee to the shin during a collision and wouldn’t be available for the Lions game. Franklin had been added to the injury report on Thursday.
“I don’t think it’s going to be anything too long-term, but just an unfortunate deal,” LaFleur said. “It happens when you play football, especially the way our guys have been practicing. But I think we’ve got a lot of confidence in (Isaiah) McDuffie and (Ty’Ron) Hopper and Nick Niemann if need be to go in there and do a great job for us.”
Franklin has 41 tackles in his first year with Green Bay after spending eight seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. The Packers acquired him in a trade for defensive tackle Colby Wooden.
Green Bay’s top tackler is safety Evan Williams, who has 49 stops.
The Packers (4-2) will be seeking their fourth straight win Sunday when they face the Lions (3-2).
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