The Detroit Lions gained a clear edge heading into their Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers after coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that star edge rusher Micah Parsons will not practice this week.
Parsons continues recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 15 of the 2025 season. He opened the year on the physically unable to perform list and has yet to practice in 2026, ruling him out of Sunday’s matchup at Ford Field.
The Lions improved to 3-2 with a 45-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 before entering their bye. Green Bay stands at 4-2, tied for second in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears. The Minnesota Vikings lead the division at 5-0.
A victory for Detroit would help the team keep pace in a competitive division race early in the second half of the season.
LaFleur addressed the possibility of a later return for Parsons on Monday.
“I think that’s going to be ‘to be determined’,” LaFleur said. “There’s things you can do on a short week if you got a guy like that, that you’re trying to get primed and ready to go. But, he’s got to clear some hurdles yet before we get to that point.”
Parsons could potentially practice ahead of Green Bay’s Week 8 game against the Carolina Panthers, though that contest falls on a Thursday night.
The Packers acquired Parsons in a 2025 trade that sent defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks to the Dallas Cowboys. He then signed a four-year, $188 million contract extension, the largest for a non-quarterback at the time.
In 14 games last season, Parsons posted 12.5 sacks and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He recorded a career-high three sacks in an October game against the Cardinals.
Detroit’s offense has been among the league’s best, averaging 32.8 points per game through five contests, tied for the NFL lead. The team has scored 164 points overall.
Quarterback Jared Goff has thrown for 1,485 yards with 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs leads the ground game with 504 rushing yards.
The Lions’ defense has lagged, allowing 29.6 points and 404.4 yards per game, ranking near the bottom of the league in both categories. The secondary has been particularly vulnerable against the pass.
The bye week offered time to work returning players back into the lineup, including safety Brian Branch.
All four NFC North teams currently sit in the projected playoff field, underscoring the division’s strength through the first six weeks.
The game is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. EDT and will be televised on Fox.
Parsons’ absence removes a proven pass rusher who led the league in pressures for much of last season before his injury.
Detroit looks to carry forward the momentum from Arizona, where the offense scored 24 points in the second quarter alone, the team’s highest total in a single quarter since 2013.
