Micah Parsons will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list, and it's almost a guarantee he will miss time during the regular season.
But when exactly can we expect Parsons to return?
The most realistic scenario is likely somewhere between Weeks 8 and 12, but the important word there is realistic. What is the best-case scenario that could play out? Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, The Athletic's Matt Schneidman mapped out what that could look like.
"The Packers have a strict nine-month no football rule after ACL tears, and Micah's wasn't even a clean ACL tear," Schneidman said. "He had a meniscus injury too, so he had to get that repaired. So the earliest we'll see him on the field, even on the practice field, is September 30th. That would be nine months and one day after his surgery."
"If we think he needs a couple weeks to get ramped up, he's probably going to return Week 6 here at Lambeau, Sunday Night Football, against who? The Dallas Cowboys."
It's important to note that Schneidman later clarified that a Week 6 return would be the "best-case scenario," assuming Parsons returns to practice in late September and only needs two or three weeks of practice time.
Micah Parsons returning in Week 6 would be a dream scenario, but we shouldn't build our hopes up just yet
Christian Watson proved last year that it's possible to defy expectations and timelines in an ACL recovery, but there's an important caveat here. As Schneidman notes, the Packers have a strict nine-month period before Parsons can return to practice.
He had surgery on December 29, which pushes the end of that window to around September 29. That isn't when Parsons will play in the regular season, but rather when he can resume football activities.
Both Parsons and the Packers have expressed the need for patience in his recovery. The key is to get back to 100 percent, even if it takes longer than they want.
"The goal for me is to complete the season -- not no relapse -- and playoffs and pushing towards a championship," Parsons said in June, via ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "The goal isn't for me to go out there and rehurt myself trying to force myself to get back the first few games. The goal has always been [to be available for the] playoffs, and I think we're all on the same page."
The Packers will be cautious in ramping up Parsons' practice reps and ensuring he's ready to go. That's why a return in Week 8, or maybe even later, remains the most likely scenario.
Which big games could Micah Parsons miss this season?
If Parsons doesn't return by Week 6, he would of course miss the huge Sunday Night Football showdown with the Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Unfortunately, that's not the only important game he would be absent for.
Green Bay hosts the Chicago Bears in Week 5, a monumental showdown in the NFC North race. The chances of Parsons playing in that game are slim to none, despite the initial excitement when the schedule was released.
In Week 7, the Packers head to Ford Field for another huge game against the Detroit Lions. Parsons could miss that one, too.
In Week 9, Green Bay meets Drake Maye and the AFC-champion New England Patriots on the road before hosting the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau a week later.
Perhaps crucially, the Packers get their bye in Week 11. Don't be surprised if they use that additional rest to prepare for Parsons' return in Week 12, a showdown against the Los Angeles Rams on Thanksgiving Eve.
Time will tell. If the "realistic" return window sits between Weeks 8 and 12, waiting until Thanksgiving would undoubtedly fall on the worst-case side of the scale.
If anyone can return faster than expected, it's Micah Parsons. Week 6 against the Cowboys remains a long shot, a best-case, but nothing should surprise us with Parsons.
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