Isaiah McDuffie took over the green dot on Sunday after Ty’Ron Hopper moved into Zaire Franklin’s spot in the lineup, a clear sign that the Packers had to rework the middle of their defense while Franklin remained out. The change put McDuffie in charge of the on-field communication that usually starts with the linebacker wearing the headset-linked dot.
Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Franklin will not play against the Panthers on Thursday night, which makes the search around McDuffie matter now rather than later. Franklin missed last week after being accidentally kicked in Thursday’s practice and later was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his leg, but the Packers did not place him on injured reserve and believed he could return after missing fewer than four games.
That is why the switch on Sunday carried more weight than a simple lineup adjustment. Franklin had been one of the Packers’ most active defenders, with 41 tackles, two quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a pass breakup, and his absence forces the defense to spread both production and communication duties across other players. McDuffie did not just fill a spot; he handled the signal-calling role at a time when the Packers were already down a starter at the center of the defense.
The unresolved part is how long that arrangement lasts. Ty’Ron Hopper took Franklin’s place in the lineup once, but the team’s decision not to move Franklin to injured reserve suggests the absence is expected to be short enough that a longer-term shuffle may not be necessary. For now, the Packers know Franklin is out Thursday, and McDuffie is the one who has already shown he can wear the green dot if the adjustment has to continue.
