Packers’ Micah Parsons Likely To Begin Camp On PUP; Latest On Tucker Kraft

With the goal of pushing for a Super Bowl championship in 2025, the Packers pulled off a blockbuster Micah Parsons trade with the Cowboys last August. After giving up two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark for Parsons, the Packers immediately handed the superstar outside linebacker a four-year, $188MM contract extension.

For most of last season, betting big on Parsons worked out for Green Bay. The all-world edge rusher racked up 12.5 sacks through 14 games, giving him at least a dozen in all five of his NFL seasons, but a Week 15 torn ACL brought a devastating end to his year. The Packers, who fell to the Broncos that day and dropped to 9-4-1, never recovered. They lost out in Parsons’ absence, limped into the playoffs at 9-7-1 and then squandered a 21-3 lead against the Bears in a 31-27 wild-card round loss.

The Packers could avoid a similar fate in 2026 if Parsons returns to full strength, though there is a good chance he will miss some portion of the season. The perennial Pro Bowler and All-Pro is a candidate to begin the year on the reserve/PUP list, which would require him to sit out at least four games. Parsons will only be eligible for reserve/PUP if he spends all of training camp and the preseason on active/PUP. Head coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday that he does indeed expect Parsons to open camp on active/PUP, Ryan Wood of USA Today reports.

Leaving Parsons on active/PUP for the summer would enable the Packers to avoid placing him on injured reserve. Teams are only allowed eight IR activations during the season. Players who are activated from reserve/PUP don’t count toward that total. As PFR’s Sam Robinson previously noted, the Packers took that route with injured wide receiver Christian Watson last year. It seems likely they will do the same with Parsons, who said back in January he does not expect to go on IR. If he does miss four games on reserve/PUP, Parsons would sit out matchups against Minnesota, the Jets, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. The Vikings, Falcons and Buccaneers may push for playoff spots, but that is hardly a murderer’s row of opponents. Aside from the Bucs (Baker Mayfield), all of those teams have shaky quarterback situations.

Losing Parsons wasn’t the only crushing injury blow to the Packers in 2025. They also saw standout tight end Tucker Kraft go down with a torn ACL in a Week 9 loss to the Panthers. Having suffered his knee injury six weeks before Parsons, Kraft is naturally ahead in his recovery. LaFleur said he is hopeful Kraft will be ready for camp, though no decision has been made yet.

With 32 catches, 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games, Kraft was easily on pace for a career year before it ended prematurely. He is set to play the final season of his four-year rookie contract in 2026, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has publicly identified Kraft as an extension candidate. If the Packers are confident in Kraft’s health, a lucrative agreement could come together in the next few months.

Packers RB Josh Jacobs Arrested

MAY 27: Jacobs will be released from jail on Wednesday, Schneidman reports. No formal charges have been filed yet, but that could change. In its official statement, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office announced: “After reviewing the available evidence in this case, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office is not yet prepared to make a formal charging decision. Our office has requested additional investigation, as there is reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate, and what charges would be issued.”

MAY 26: Packers running back Josh Jacobs was arrested today and booked on five charges, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.

The charges include battery/domestic abuse, criminal damage to property/domestic abuse, disorderly conduct/domestic abuse, strangulation and suffocation, and intimidation of a victim. The strangulation charge is a felony, with the other four charges being misdemeanors. Jacobs has denied the allegations.

According to the release from the Hobart/Lawrence, Wisconsin police department (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), the arrest stems from a “disturbance complaint” involving Jacobs that took place on Saturday. Jacobs turned himself in today.

“Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public,” the player’s attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement (via Rapoport). “We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”

The Packers also released a statement (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero):

“We are aware of the matter involving Josh Jacobs. As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment.”

The NFL released a similar statement (via Pelissero):

“We are aware of the report and have been in contact with the club.”

Following a five-year stint with the Raiders to begin his career, Jacobs inked a four-year, $48MM contract with the Packers ahead of the 2024 season. Through his first two years in Green Bay, the veteran has compiled 2,882 yards from scrimmage and 30 total touchdowns.

From a football standpoint, Jacobs will be subject to the league’s personal conduct policy. After losing Emanuel Wilson in free agency, the team’s depth behind their RB1 currently consists of Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong, Damien Martinez, and UDFA Jaden Nixon.

Packers Announce Promotions In Player Personnel Department

In the player personnel department of the Packers front office, the departure of former vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan for the general manager job in Miami left GM Brian Gutekunst without his No. 2. Addressing that concern, Green Bay announced a series of internal promotions throughout its player personnel department this week.

Filling the vice president of player personnel role left vacant by Sullivan will be Milt Hendrickson. Starting his NFL career as a training camp intern for the Packers in 2004, Hendrickson’s first full-time opportunity came in Baltimore, where he spent 14 years going from player personnel assistant to midwest area scout to mid-regional scout to national scout before finally making his way to Green Bay. He’s been with the Packers for the past eight years, working the last seven as director – football operations.

Formerly the co-director of player personnel, John Wojciechowski has been promoted into Hendrickson’s old role of director — football operations. Wojciechowski is in his 14th year with the Packers and his 31st in the NFL. He started as a player personnel assistant for the Steelers in 1996 and worked as a college scout in Jacksonville for five years and Dallas for nine more before ultimately landing in the same role for the Packers in 2012. He was promoted to director of pro personnel in 2017 before landing in his most recent role, which he held for the past eight years.

Richmond Williams will follow the same path as his predecessor, moving from his most recent role of director of pro personnel to director of player personnel. Williams is entering Year 19 in Green Bay. After serving as the team’s NFS scout covering the southwest region, Williams was named a college scout in 2012 and a pro scout in 2017, holding the latter role for only two years before reaching his most recent role before the promotion.

The chain of successive promotion broke up just a bit after that. According to the Packers, senior personnel executive Lee Gissendaner will add the title of director of pro scouting to his title. Matt Malaspina will also assume the title of senior player personnel executive after getting promoted from director of college scouting, and former assistant director of college scouting Pat Moore has been promoted to succeed Malaspina in the full director role.

Gissendaner has spent 25 non-consecutive years with the Packers, starting with the team in 1998 and taking a three-year sabbatical as a national scout with the Jets from 2015-17. He worked 14 years as an area scout before leaving for New York and was named a player personnel executive upon his return.

Malaspina has been with the team for nine years but is entering his 28th season of NFL experience. Starting with NFS in 1998, Malaspina worked with the Panthers for a year, Seahawks for five years, and 49ers for 12 years before landing in Green Bay and getting promoted to director of college scouting following a year as a college scout with the team. Moore held a series of collegiate coaching roles before turning to scouting with the Browns in 2013. He arrived as a college scout in Green Bay in 2018 before getting promoted to his most recent role in 2021.

Lastly, a trio of scouts earned promotions. Mike Owen, a former national scout in his 15th year with the team, was named assistant director of pro scouting, Sam Seale, in his 32nd season with the team, was promoted from national scout to senior national scout, and former college scout Luke Benuska was promoted to national scout in his 11th year in Green Bay.

Owen arrived in Green Bay in 2012 and held a role as a college scout for 13 years before getting promoted to national scout last year. Seale started as a college scout in 1995, became a west regional scout in 2012, and was named a national scout in 2018. Lastly, Benuska originally joined the Packers as a scouting intern in 2016, following recruiting work at his alma mater, TCU. He became a pro scout in 2017 before working the past eight seasons in the college scouting role.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/18/26

NFL teams are getting their rosters set for voluntary Organized Team Activities that will take place over the next month. Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: RB Anderson Castle
  • Waived: RB Jordon Vaughn

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Placed on reserve/retired: WR Alex Bullock

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: DB Tamon Lynum

Davis tried out at the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp but did not make the team. His workout in Carolina was more successful, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, and he will take Johnson’s place on the Panthers’ roster.

Jones was a first-team All-Big Sky selection for his standout 2023 season at Eastern Washington, which featured three pick-sixes. He transferred to Vanderbilt in 2024 but missed the season after being diagnosed with cancer. After recovering, Jones appeared in nine games for the Commodores in 2025, and he will now continue his remarkable story in Green Bay.

NFL’s TE Market Expected To Rise

A select number of positions have seen their respective markets surge over recent years in the NFL. The tight end spot is nowhere near as lucrative as certain others, but a spike could soon be coming.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes a number of notable tight end deals can be expected in the near future. This offseason has seen indications that could be the case, and a few extension cases will be worth watching closely. Fowler unsurprisingly names the Lions’ Sam LaPorta and the Packers’ Tucker Kraft as candidates for a lucrative second contract as early as this year.

Both players are pending 2027 free agents. LaPorta quickly emerged as a focal point in Detroit’s passing game, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors as a rookie. The former second-rounder saw a reduction in production the following season and was limited to just nine games in 2025, though. Still, any LaPorta extension would bring about a considerable raise relative to the $2.04MM in cash he is due for the coming campaign.

Detroit’s financial outlook is of course complex when it comes to members of the 2022 draft class. LaPorta, but also first-rounders Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell as well as second-rounder Brian Branch, is in line for a new pact. Keeping all four members of that group while affording the big-money deals already on the books will be challenging for the Lions. Authorizing an extension would allow the team to keep one of the league’s top young tight ends in the fold but it would also likely lessen the chances of retaining Campbell and Branch in particular.

Kraft, like LaPorta, is 25. The South Dakota State product saw his offensive role increase across his first two years in Green Bay. Kraft then enjoyed a stellar start to the 2025 campaign, averaging over 61 yards per game and scoring six touchdowns in eight contests. An ACL tear ended his season, however. Kraft is on course to collect $1.51MM in 2025, but a long-term deal would be worth far more.

The Packers have had a young – and cost-effective – pass-catching group for the last few years in particular. That still includes a number of receivers on rookie deals (although investments have been made in Jayden Reed and Christian Watson) as well as tight end Luke Musgrave on his initial NFL pact. Green Bay could pursue an extension in Kraft’s case before he returns to action knowing a team-friendly figure could be easier to arrive at.

The tight end market currently consists of 13 multiyear contracts averaging between $10MM and $19.1MM annually. Kyle Pitts‘ franchise tag, meanwhile, checks in at just over $15MM. Last offseason, Trey McBride and the Cardinals agreed to a four-year, $76MM deal. Continued spikes in the salary cap should help the likes of LaPorta and Kraft secure similar (if not larger) deals, while Brock Bowers will position himself for a big-money extension as early as 2027 if his Raiders production continues next season.

As Fowler notes, an increased emphasis on using multiple tight ends has emerged around the league. Free agency saw Charlie Kolar, for instance, land $8.1MM in average annual value and $17MM guaranteed after he totaled just 30 catches in four Ravens seasons. Last month’s draft demonstrated how blocking tight ends were seen as highly valuable during the middle rounds. Provided that trend continues, depth contributors at the TE spot will continue to see raises while the top of the market reaches new heights.

Packers Sign Round 2 CB Brandon Cisse, Wrap Draft Class Deals

MAY 16: Cisse secured full guarantees in his first three years, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. That includes a $3.31MM signing bonus. An additional $821K is locked in for the final season of the pact, meaning the agreement falls in line with expectations given other second-round deals in 2026.

MAY 14: The Packers were among the teams that did not make a first-round pick in this year’s draft. In Round 2, they made South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse their top investment this year.

Green Bay has now signed Cisse to his four-year rookie contract, per a team announcement. This wraps the Packers’ rookie business for 2026, with the team signing the rest of its picks and UDFA class this month.

Cisse arrived as the No. 52 overall pick in this year’s class. His deal should be expected to come in nearly fully guaranteed. The Falcons set a draft precedent today by fully guaranteeing No. 48 overall pick Avieon Terrell‘s rookie contract, moving the bar for fully guaranteed second-round deals by eight draft slots from 2025. As recently as 2024, no second-rounder had secured four guaranteed years. It would surprise if Cisse’s contract matches Terrell’s, but the new Wisconsin resident will likely see at least three fully guaranteed years with some 2029 money partially guaranteed.

The Colts gave linebacker C.J. Allen, chosen 53rd overall, three fully guaranteed years. He also received a $639K guarantee on his $2.13MM 2029 base salary. This package comes out to 83.7% of Allen’s rookie contract being guaranteed. Cisse will be expected to do a bit better due to his draft slot. By 2027, players chosen beyond 50th overall figure to see fully guaranteed deals. And Allen’s negotiating victory will help players chosen after Terrell in this year’s draft.

Playing primarily on the boundary with the Gamecocks, Cisse allowed catches on only 34.6% of his targets in 2025. He transferred from NC State to South Carolina in 2025. While only finishing his career with two interceptions (in three seasons), Cisse drew extensive pre-draft interest. He visited the Cowboys and Seahawks before being drafted by the Packers, who released Nate Hobbs one season into a four-year, $48MM deal. Hobbs’ quick exit came a year after the team cut Jaire Alexander and let Eric Stokes leave in free agency.

Cisse profiles as a player who will become a Green Bay starter, possibly as early as 2026, though the team does return Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. The Packers also signed Benjamin St-Juste to a two-year, $10MM accord. Counting slot defender Javon Bullard, Cisse is the sixth first- or second-round CB the Packers have drafted over the past decade.

Via PFR’s team by team tracker, here is how the 2026 Packers draft class breaks down:

Each NFL Franchise’s Richest RB Contract

Running back value has become a divisive topic in the modern NFL, and teams’ histories with these investments reveal a large gap in their respective approaches to RB contracts. Following our installments covering the highest-paid quarterback, wide receiver and off-ball linebacker in each team’s history, here are the most lucrative deals — ranked by guaranteed money — for running backs in each franchise’s history (the list excludes rookie contracts).

Unlike the QB and WR markets, some teams’ top RB deals occurred decades ago. This list covers contracts agreed to across four different decades.

Arizona Cardinals

Jeremiyah Love‘s rookie contract brings the highest guarantee ($53MM) in RB history, but for veteran accords, Conner’s second Arizona pact is the organizational standard

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

LeSean McCoy‘s March 2015 extension included more guaranteed at signing ($18.25MM), but Cook’s brought a rolling guarantee structure that eclipsed that package in total

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

  • Matt Forte; July 16, 2012: Four years, $30.4MM ($17.1MM guaranteed)

D’Andre Swift‘s 2024 agreement included more guaranteed at signing ($14MM), but Forte’s guarantee package remains the Chicago standard

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Corey Dillon; May 11, 2001: Five years, $26MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)

The Bengals more than doubled Dillon’s AAV number in 2020 for Joe Mixon (four years, $48MM) but only guaranteed $10MM of that pact

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

  • Barry Sanders; July 21, 1997: Six years, $33.5MM ($11.5MM guaranteed)

David Montgomery‘s two Lions deals topped the Hall of Famer in AAV, but neither surpassed $11MM guaranteed; Jahmyr Gibbs is tied to the highest RB guarantee in franchise history ($17.85MM) but got there via a rookie deal 

Green Bay Packers

Josh Jacobs‘ 2024 pact edges Jones in AAV but fell short of his predecessor’s deal in guarantees

Houston Texans

  • Arian Foster; March 5, 2012: Five years, $43.5MM ($20.75MM guaranteed)

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette received a $27.15MM guarantee — still in the top 10 in RB history — but it came on a rookie contract

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders sweetened Jacobs’ franchise tag agreement; Ashton Jeanty‘s 2025 rookie slot deal included $35.9MM guaranteed

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Adrian Peterson; September 10, 2011: Six years, $86.28MM ($36MM guaranteed)

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Barkley’s rookie slot deal included $31.19MM guaranteed — fourth all time among all RB contracts — while Devin Singletary‘s $9.5MM represents the franchise’s high-water mark on a multiyear deal

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell’s second franchise tag (2018) covered $14.54MM, but the RB became the first tagged player this century to skip a season; Jaylen Warren‘s 2025 extension brought the highest Steelers RB guarantee ($7.1MM) on a multiyear deal

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • Clinton Portis; March 1, 2004: Eight years, $50.52MM ($13MM guaranteed)

Information from OverTheCap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post

Packers’ Micah Parsons Candidate To Start Season On PUP List

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.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/14/26

Here are Thursday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: LB Stephen Dix Jr.

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: WR Mante’ Morrow
  • Waived: LS Peter Bowden

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: WR Rashad Rochelle, WR Trayvon Rudolph
  • Waived: OLB Devean Deal
  • Waived/failure to disclose physical condition: WR Michael Briscoe

Dixon suffered an Achilles tear during a Wednesday workout with the Giants, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Dixon was part of New York’s six-man UDFA class, joining the team after a college tenure at North Carolina. Ranked by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler as a top-200 prospect in this year’s class, Dixon will likely miss the season. A return after an injury settlement would be the only way Dixon could play for the Giants this season.

The Jets included Ferrin among their 12-man priority free agent class, but he will not make it far into the offseason with the team. New York still rosters kickers Cade York and Lenny Krieg.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/26

Today’s midweek minor moves:

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

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