The Packers saw their Micah Parsons acquisition pay immediate dividends, but the star pass rusher’s path veered off track due to a Week 15 ACL tear. Parsons’ relocation to an organization cautious on the injury front is likely to ensure he does not start his second Green Bay season on time.
Four months ago, Parsons voiced the expectation he would not be available for the Packers’ opener. At the time, the All-Pro noted he was likely to avoid IR, which would lead to a four-game absence to open the campaign. But that timeline should be considered in play — just via a different NFL injured list.
Internally, the Packers expect Parsons to miss time early in the season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during a Get Up appearance. The former Cowboys first-rounder is a candidate to start the 2026 slate on the PUP list, Schefter adds. That designation would sideline Parsons for four games. Green Bay’s schedule will be fully revealed tonight, so a clear picture of how a four-game Parsons absence would affect the team will emerge within hours.
A player can be placed on the reserve/PUP list to open a season only after spending training camp and the preseason on the active/PUP list, which is a summer-only designation. This would save a roster spot for the Packers while obviously keeping their best player out of action for September. IR would not seemingly come into play here, as Parsons would need to be activated from the active/PUP list before the late-August roster-setting deadline in order to be eligible for IR.
NFL teams also have eight IR activations at their disposals in-season; Parsons’ activation would count toward that total. Activations from the reserve/PUP list, however, do not factor into that count. If Parsons is placed on an injured list to open the season, it will almost certainly be the reserve/PUP list.
The Packers placed Christian Watson on the reserve/PUP list to open last season, after the wide receiver suffered an ACL tear in Week 18 of the 2024 campaign. Watson did not debut until Week 8, and the Packers gave the deep threat a multiweek window to practice before being redeployed in game action. Parsons may not need to wait until Week 8, but the Packers are clearly bracing for the high-priced defender to be unavailable to start the season.
Green Bay could simply keep Parsons on its 53-man roster in hopes he would be ready to go before Week 5, which would be the earliest a return to practice could take place were the reserve/PUP list used. Going with a week-to-week strategy would be logical for a player like Parsons. If/when the ex-Cowboy dynamo is absent to start the season, more pressure will be on former first-rounder Lukas Van Ness to finally deliver on his draft slot. The Pack picked up Van Ness’ fifth-year option despite modest returns from their 2023 first-round pick.
The team also traded longtime starter Rashan Gary to Dallas in March. Green Bay also waited until Round 4 (Dani Dennis-Sutton) to draft an edge rusher. If it becomes clear Parsons will miss a few weeks to start the season, the Packers will likely be a candidate to add a veteran — via free agency or trade — to serve as a stopgap before settling into a rotational role once Parsons returns.
At least he has plenty of practice and experience laying on a trainers table. Should come in handy for him.
Karma’s a B.
What karma? Sincerely curious, he’s always seemed like a great ambassador for the sport.
He won’t make it through the season