Micah Parsons has finally hit the important nine-month post-surgery date, which means he could return to practice soon.
We'll need some patience, though. Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed on Monday that Parsons won't practice this week, but importantly added that there have been no setbacks in his recovery and that it's just "part of the process."
The Packers can open Parsons' 21-day practice window at any point, giving them time to ramp up his reps before activating him to the 53-man roster. Parsons isn't ready for practice yet, but what does it mean for his return timeline? Let's break it down.
What it means for Micah Parsons' potential return date
Many reporters have circled Week 6 as a potential return date for Parsons, but that always felt like an optimistic view rather than the most realistic outcome. The fact that he's not practicing yet undoubtedly reduces his chances of returning for that game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Whenever Parsons returns to practice, he'll need enough time to get important reps and feel comfortable. The Packers won't rush that process.
Even if he returns to practice next Monday, that will already be Week 5. It would give him only two weeks of practice before the game against Dallas.
Why hasn't Micah Parsons returned to practice yet?
Many have drawn comparisons between Parsons and Patrick Mahomes, who suffered ACL injuries on the same day. Mahomes has played every game this season, while Parsons hasn't even practiced yet.
There's a good reason for that. Several, in fact. One is the difference in injuries. Another is the difference in surgery dates.
Mahomes underwent surgery on December 15, around 24 hours after the game, which was necessary because he tore his LCL in the same knee. It's more typical to wait for swelling to decrease before undergoing surgery. Parsons had his surgery two weeks later, on December 29.
Parsons' injury was also different from Mahomes'. He didn't injure his LCL, but instead required a meniscus cleanup. Parsons said that he would need to wait at least nine months before being cleared to practice.
Since his surgery was on December 29, we're only now reaching the nine-month mark, which is why LaFleur is facing questions about his practice status. As with any injury of this nature, it requires patience, and the Packers are famously cautious.
What is Micah Parsons' most realistic return date, and will he play on a pitch count?
We'll have a much clearer indication of Parsons' potential return date once he returns to practice, but Week 8 feels like a realistic target. That's not a report or an official target, but an estimate based on everything we know.
Green Bay will aim to time the 21-day practice window perfectly because once that ends, the team will have two choices: Add Parsons to the 53-man roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.
We can assume the Packers will only open the practice window once they believe Parsons is close to returning.
Even then, we should expect him to require a pitch count. That's pretty standard procedure and something the Packers do often – they even had Parsons begin last season on a snap count because he had missed most of training camp.
That typically lasts around four games. Parsons' snap counts in Weeks 1-4 last season: 30, 47, 51, 47. He then played 58 snaps in the Packers' fifth game and was ready for a full-time role.
Rashan Gary's return from an ACL injury in 2022 is a better comparison. Again, the Packers ramped up his reps over four weeks. His snap counts in that time: 12, 22, 23, 20. He didn't start until Green Bay's fifth game.
The Packers will likely take a similar approach with Parsons.
It's not surprising that he isn't ready to practice yet. Patience is required. The most important part is LaFleur confirming that there have been no setbacks. Now, we wait.
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