The Green Bay Packers enter the 2026 season knowing All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons will miss a significant portion of the year while recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus procedure.
Parsons underwent surgery on Dec. 29 after the injury in Week 15 last season. Team medical staff is following a strict nine-month timeline before allowing full football activities.
That places his potential return to practice in late September. Officials expect him to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list, forcing him to miss at least the first four games. However, the widespread expectation is that Parsons will miss at least the first half of the season.
A patient approach aimed at long-term health could push the absence toward midseason, or roughly half the 17-game schedule. Parsons has emphasized prioritizing playoffs and avoiding setbacks over an early return.
The Packers must generate pressure without their top disruptor and after trading Rashan Gary while losing Kingsley Enagbare in free agency. Fourth-year edge rusher Lukas Van Ness is positioned as the primary replacement on one side.
Van Ness, a 2023 first-round pick, showed improved run defense last season before a foot injury limited him. Fully healthy now, he will start and handle increased snaps in new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme.
Opposite Van Ness, a competition among second-year players Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, veteran Brenton Cox Jr., and fourth-round rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton will determine the other starting edge spot. Those young rushers worked with Parsons during the offseason.
Interior reinforcements should ease the burden. Devonte Wyatt returns from his own late-season injury after signing a three-year extension. Veteran free-agent addition Javon Hargrave and third-round pick Chris McClellan add depth and versatility up front.
Gannon’s system emphasizes multiple looks and collective pressure rather than relying solely on one star. Linebacker Zaire Franklin, acquired in a trade, provides additional blitz options from the second level.
On offense, Jordan Love and a young receiving corps led by Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden can control games and limit defensive exposure. An improved offensive line is expected to support a balanced attack.
The early schedule offers a potential buffer, with games against Minnesota, the New York Jets, Atlanta and Tampa Bay before facing Chicago in Week 5. A solid start would buy time until Parsons is ready.
Coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst have stressed internal development and scheme fit. Success without Parsons for an extended stretch hinges on Van Ness elevating his production and the young edge group contributing immediately.
If those pieces hold, the Packers can remain competitive in the NFC North and position themselves for a late surge once their star returns.
