It's looking increasingly likely that the Green Bay Packers will be without star pass-rusher Micah Parsons until around Week 7 or 8, at the earliest.
While all signs point to Parsons making good progress in his recovery, the long-term benefits of taking a cautious approach outweigh the risks of pushing for an earlier return date. ACL injuries take time, usually a minimum of nine months, but often longer than that.
Former Packers tackle Bryan Bulaga, who suffered two ACL tears in his NFL career, understands the importance of regaining full trust and comfort in the knee before returning. Appearing on ESPN Milwaukee, Bulaga broke down why delaying Parsons' return is the best approach.
"He's so dynamic laterally, side to side, how he cuts, how he turns, how he bends. You want him to have zero thought about that knee. You want him to just be like he was before that ACL, cutting, pushing, planting, twisting, everything that he does that makes him who he is. You don't even want to think about it," Bulaga said.
"If you can give him until Week 7, 8, perfect. Perfect. And let him come back in, because he is a long-term investment. He wasn't just a 2026 investment."
The Packers are smart to take their time with Micah Parsons' recovery
When the NFL schedule dropped, we hoped Parsons could return after a stint on the PUP list (which requires an absence of at least four games) in Week 5, just in time for games against the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and Detroit Lions.
There's a chance Parsons will miss all of those contests. It hurts, no doubt, as the Packers will have to find a way to win without their all-world pass-rusher. That was a major problem at the back end of last season, with Green Bay losing its final five games, including the one he suffered the injury in (the Packers led 23-21 when Parsons got hurt).
But ACL injuries are complicated. It's not just about preventing setbacks by returning too soon, as it also comes down to a player's trust in their knee. As Bulaga says, Parsons has to feel 100 percent in his ability to move as he normally would without any concerns.
The short-term impact is the Packers having to get by without him. But it's the best approach in the long term, ensuring Parsons is back to full strength for this season and beyond. An added benefit is that by the time he's off a pitch count and back to a full-time role, the Packers will hopefully be in the middle of a playoff push.
In the meantime, it'll fall on the other pass-rushers to step up, including Lukas Van Ness.
Missing Parsons for around half the season isn't ideal, but it's absolutely the right move to give him all the time he needs.
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