Sam

Franklin

The Broncos added former Saints interim head coach, and long-time special team coach, Darren Rizzi to their staff this offseason. He holds both the special teams coach and assistant head coach roles for Denver. The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson reports that Rizzi is said to have “pushed” for Franklin’s signing this offseason, after watching Franklin dominate NFC South special teams play as a member of the Panthers. Franklin has totaled at least seven special teams tackles in each of the last four seasons.

Clowney was a DNP on Wednesday and Thursday but logged a limited session on Friday. The veteran pass rusher hasn’t played since Week 5 and will likely miss his second-straight game with the injury. In addition to Clowney, the Panthers also listed safety Sam Franklin Jr. and defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy as doubtful.

Franklin is a special teams ace who re-signed with the Panthers this offseason. Head coach Dave Canales called the loss of Franking “a big hit” due to the value he’s provided on special teams over the years. There’s a belief that Franklin will return at some point in the season, but it sounds like this will be the last we hear from him in training camp. We’ll likely know more about the severity of his injury and how long he’s expected to be out in the coming days.

Franklin was brought back on a one-year deal last offseason after primarily playing special teams in 2022. Though he remained a special teams ace in 2023, Franklin also set a career-high in defensive snaps at 289. That, in turn, led to a high-water mark in tackles (30) as well. Franklin’s breakout season even involved a 99-yard pick-six against the Vikings in Week 4.

Franklin was a restricted free agent this offseason. He will be able to enter the free agency portal but the Panthers will have the ability to match any offer from another franchise. The fourth-year pro has started only five games across his three-year NFL career. He will make the league minimum $2.627 million on the tender.

Talbot notes that the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Franklin "[p]lays hard, has a nonstop motor & plays with a little nasty.” The linebacker began his career with the Owls as a defensive back before shifting over to his current position. That experience in coverage shows, with Talbot writing that Franklin’s “coverage skills are something that stands out” on film. The senior finished the past season having registered 63 tackles (7.0 for loss), three sacks, an interception and a fumble forced. He should benefit from having had a full offseason of continued development at linebacker as he looks to blip onto the NFL radar.