For only the third time in 66 years, the Minnesota Vikings will play the Green Bay Packers to start the season. During the showdown, otherworldly linebacker Micah Parsons will not partake.
Green Bay will take Parson’s ACL recovery slowly, and he’s already been ruled out for the month of September.
A Packers Problem Arrives at the Perfect Time for Minnesota
No Parsons Week 1
You can scratch Parsons off your bingo board for Week 1.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wrote Wednesday, “Micah Parsons’ initial hope that he could return within the first month of the season was never realistic, and the Green Bay Packers’ star edge rusher has come to terms with that. Parsons said Wednesday that he’s just past the five-month mark from his ACL surgery, which he revealed also included a procedure on his meniscus, and that he won’t be cleared to be back on the football field — even for practice — until the nine-month mark.”
“That would put his earliest possible return to practice in late September, and the Packers likely would not allow him to play in a game until after several weeks of practice. Parsons is likely to open the season on the physically unable to perform list, which means he would automatically miss at least four games.”
Barryn Sorrell or Brenton Cox Jr. will presumably start in Parsons’s place.
A Game-Changing Detail. Literally.
The Vikings are known for their cautious approach to injury recoveries, prioritizing long-term health. Green Bay operates similarly, which is relevant given Parsons’s status.
Parsons, arguably the best defensive player in football, will not be rushed into the Week 1 lineup simply because the calendar dictates it. Last season, the Packers clearly saw their Super Bowl aspirations diminish without him. Risking a long-term setback in September would be a grave error.
The conservative approach could immediately benefit Minnesota due to the NFL’s random scheduling. Given Parsons is already a five-time Pro Bowler, Green Bay’s patience is entirely logical. The Packers will not be unprepared at outside linebacker to start the season. The team typically has a robust backup plan, and its summer roster is not lacking talent.
The full outside linebacker room, including Parsons, is as follows:
- Micah Parsons
- Lukas Van Ness
- Brenton Cox Jr.
- Barryn Sorrell
- Dani Dennis-Sutton
- Collin Oliver
- Arron Mosby
- Nyjalik Kelly
Dennis-Sutton is a rookie. If Parsons misses approximately four games in September, Packers fans will need Dennis-Sutton to be more prepared to play than an average first-year pass rusher.
One cannot avoid the fact, though, that Parsons is, by far, the Packers’ defensive MVP and best player on the team overall. Minnesota, facing a Parsons-less Packers squad, is an entirely different beast.
Vikings Injury Watch
Minnesota’s summer injury watch isn’t quite as vast as Green Bay’s, but it’s noteworthy nonetheless.
All eyes are on left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who tore his ACL in October 2024 but did not encounter a seamless recovery thereafter. The Vikings even shut down Darrisaw last December, giving him more time to heal and be ready for 2026, which is three months away in regular-season speak. Thankfully, Darrisaw participated in organized team activities last week and looked great.
Then there’s one of the newest members of the roster. Minnesota drafted defensive tackle Caleb Banks from Florida in April, and the only knock on him is two foot injuries since the summer of 2025. Banks’s draft stock fell from Round 1 to Round 2 because he broke his foot at the NFL Combine in February, but that didn’t deter the Vikings from selecting him with the 18th overall pick. The Vikings coaching staff has since claimed that Banks will be ready from training camp in late July.
It’s Darrisaw and Banks Watch for injuries this summer.
All Eyes on Tucker Kraft, Josh Jacobs, and Zach Tom
Parsons isn’t the only star who Packers fans must monitor. Tight end Tucker Kraft is working his way back from a torn ACL in November. He may or may not be ready for Week 1. Josh Jacobs is accused of domestic violence crimes, and that storyline will dominate the Packers’ summer. Tackle Zach Tom also injured his knee last year, though Green Bay’s coaching staff is optimistic about his return sooner rather than later.
There’s a world where the Vikings face the Packers without Parsons, Kraft, and Jacobs, believe it or not.
From a June standpoint, Green Bay is an early 1.5-point favorite to defeat Minnesota at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 1 — even with Parsons ruled out.
