Micah Parsons. Aidan Hutchinson. Josh Jacobs. Jahmyr Gibbs. Matthew Golden. Amon-Ra St. Brown. The list goes on. CBS is sending its A team to Lambeau Field in Week 1, and the spotlight will shine brightly on the star names on either side. But it's a wide receiver nobody is talking about who should concern the Green Bay Packers.
Enter rookie Isaac TeSlaa, the Packers' newest supervillain. He should have their attention.
Not just because TeSlaa has quietly drawn Puka Nacua comparisons this summer. Not just because he said he hates the Packers "with a burning passion." And not because he promised to do a Lambeau Leap if he catches a touchdown from Jared Goff on Sunday.
But because if the Packers aren't careful, he might deliver on that promise.
Micah Parsons and Packers' pass rush must prevent Isaac TeSlaa from stealing the spotlight
While the focus understandably shifts to the stars, Green Bay's questionable secondary needs a rock-solid plan to stop TeSlaa from quietly stealing the show at Lambeau.
Jeff Hafley's defensive unit will have its hands full against a powerful run game led by Gibbs and David Montgomery. We all know the damage St. Brown and Sam LaPorta can inflict in the middle of the field, and the field-stretching speed Jameson Williams provides.
And that's exactly what makes TeSlaa so dangerous. He benefits directly from defenses focusing on the other playmakers. But the rookie receiver is a real problem — his quick ascent gave the Lions the confidence to send veteran Tim Patrick packing. TeSlaa made the WR3 spot his own, and now he's determined to punish a Packers team he so proudly despises.
He grew up a Lions fan and even wore a jersey to his pre-draft visit with Detroit. He hasn't shied away from revealing his true feelings about the Packers, and he'd love nothing more than to star in a Lions win at Lambeau in his NFL debut.
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Can the Packers trust their cornerbacks to cover the Lions' deep receiving corps, especially if Nate Hobbs misses the game? It's a mismatch.
Success must come from the pass rush. Jared Goff will tear the secondary to pieces if he can operate from a clean pocket. To win, the Packers must throw off Goff's timing and get in his face — few quarterbacks are as allergic to pressure as the Lions' Pro Bowl passer.
It's what makes Parsons' arrival so vital. He can unlock a dormant Packers pass rush and ruin Goff's day in a hurry. It will take a group effort, but Parsons' presence will have a positive domino effect on the entire front seven. He makes everyone else better.
A failure to pressure Goff will lead to inevitable results. Even if the Packers can limit St. Brown and LaPorta or even take away Williams' home-run threat, TeSlaa is a physical receiver who can cause significant damage.
TeSlaa is slipping under the radar without much buzz beyond Detroit. That all could change on Sunday.
Parsons is the Packers' newest hero. He must deliver a game-wrecking performance to prevent the Lions' rookie supervillain from placing an early dent in Green Bay's newfound NFC North dreams.