As usual, the Green Bay Packers have high expectations entering an NFL season. Unfortunately for the Packers, they probably won't be able to reach their full potential until their best player, Micah Parsons, returns to the lineup. Parsons tore his ACL last December, missed Green Bay's ensuing postseason, and he will obviously not play in a Week 1 road matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
The good news is that Parsons' return seems to be where everyone thinks it should be. That is, it's right on track, and he should return in short order. It'll just take a few games first. Parsons' target return date is a Week 6 home date with the Dallas Cowboys.
But if all goes well, he could even play in Week 5 against the rival Chicago Bears:
Pelissero: There's
optimism Micah Parsons (knee) can return Week 6 against the Cowboys and "potentially" even Week 5 against the Bears.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 9, 2026
Needless to say, Parsons will be a huge boon to the Packers' defense. Parsons had 27 quarterback hits, 12 tackles for loss, and 12.5 sacks in 14 appearances last year. That is, quite obviously, elite production that can change the dynamic of the Packers' defense when Parsons is firing on all cylinders. It'll be a little while longer, but we'll see Parsons soon enough in the Packers' famous green and gold.
Who is Micah Parsons' backup on the Packers?
For the time being, Barryn Sorrell will play in Parsons' usual spot for Green Bay. He's in his second year after getting drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When will Micah Parsons come back? The latest on Packers star's timeline
