Leadership on Defense

[Pez]

Shout out to Zaire Franklin... seems like he is filling in the gaps where Leonard might lack maturity in leadership.

https://www.colts.com/news/zaire-fra...m-captain-2022

Franklin is a natural at the Mike linebacker spot, where he's filled in for Leonard. He played there in college, and has the communication skills, understanding of Bradley's defense and general football IQ to be the sort of quarterback of the defense.

"He's a naturally smart guy," Moore said.

"He's a good speaker in general, so when it comes to the field, we all trust him and we all are able to listen to that guy," safety Julian Blackmon added. "Everything he says, we know he's right, so being able to have a guy like that is really important to our defense."

And for a group of players that has banked experience together – but not banked experience in Bradley's defense yet – having that strong communication from Franklin has been critical over the first quarter or so of the season.

"He's got great leadership qualities, takes total command of the huddle, play calls, makes checks on the field for us and is extremely intelligent," Bradley said. "With all that being said, he's playing really fast for us right now. Very excited about the way he keeps progressing. He's a great communicator out there. I think guys rely on him for that as well."

Or, as Franklin put it: "Everybody will tell you — I love talking. So when I'm out on the field, I'm talking anyway. Might as well be productive while I'm speaking."