Replacing Micah Parsons? Impossible. It will take a collective effort from the entire Green Bay Packers pass rush to even partially fill the void.
The good news? Help is on the way. First, there is Brenton Cox, who won on a higher percentage of pass-rush snaps than any other Packers edge defender last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Cox stepped up big after Green Bay traded Preston Smith in 2024, and he is closing in on a return from injured reserve.
But he might not be alone. Remember the name Collin Oliver, the Packers' fifth-round rookie who just logged a full participation at practice and could make his NFL debut in the first game without Parsons. Green Bay opened his 21-day return window at the start of the month, and it appears he's almost ready to roll.
Collin Oliver's return could give the Packers a boost nobody expected
Of course, we must temper expectations. Not only is Oliver a Day 3 rookie, but he has also missed significant time due to a hamstring injury he suffered during training camp. That followed a foot injury that limited him to just two games in his final season at Oklahoma State. Oliver lacks reps, and after coming off a significant injury, the Packers will take it cautiously.
However, it's impossible not to be intrigued by his potential.
Oliver is nowhere near the level of Micah Parsons, but he does share similar versatility, having lined up all over the field for Oklahoma State, including defensive end and off-ball linebacker. Packers coach Matt LaFleur confirmed this month that he'll begin his NFL career at defensive end, as they don't want to overwhelm him by putting too much on his plate after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
But there's a lot to like.
Oliver ran an elite 4.56-second 40-yard dash, helping him receive an impressive Relative Athletic Score of 8.92 out of 10.
When healthy, the production was there, too. Between 2021 and 2023, Oliver recorded 22.5 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss. According to Pro Football Focus, he generated 120 pressures in that time. Oliver received an excellent 81.1 pass-rush grade in 2023, and while it's a small sample size as he only played two games in 2024, he earned an elite 90.8 grade.
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While the rookie may not offer much against the run and will likely only feature as a designated pass-rusher, his upside in that department could give the Packers' defense a jolt without Parsons on the field.
"As a pass rusher, Oliver's tools and traits pop off the page," writes Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network and FanSided. "He's a dynamic edge threat with an extremely intriguing ceiling as a sack artist. He can be classified as more of an athlete off the edge who wins with traits rather than as a technician, but Oliver has flashed the skill set to disrupt the pocket consistently."
Again, no single player is replacing Parsons. It will take everyone.
The Packers need Rashan Gary to recapture the form that helped him record 7.5 sacks in the opening seven games (he has zero in the seven since). They need a healthy Lukas Van Ness to become a big factor. Kingsley Enagbare will get more snaps, as will fourth-round rookie Barryn Sorrell.
Cox's return will help, and Oliver is the wild card. The Packers will likely ease him into his first NFL action, but with his speed, athleticism, and pass-rush potential, he could provide a spark for a defense that will desperately need it.