Micah Parsons was supposed to be the cornerstone of the Green Bay Packers’ defense in 2026. Instead, the five-time Pro Bowler is racing against a recovery clock after tearing his ACL in a December road loss to the Denver Broncos, and Green Bay’s pass-rush depth behind him is a serious concern heading into the new season.
Parsons finished his first year in Green Bay with 41 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles before the injury ended his debut season early. At his exit interview, Parsons said he wants to be ready for Week 1, though he realistically expects a Week 3 return, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
Packers Edge Rusher Depth a Concern Without Parsons
Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said he expects Parsons to come back “even better” and has set the bar as high as breaking the sack record in 2026. But someone has to hold down the fort in the meantime.
Lukas Van Ness is in line to start, coming off a 2025 campaign where he produced just 2.0 sacks and 23 pressures across 263 defensive snaps. That is a thin foundation for a defense leaning on him as its top pass rusher.
Green Bay addressed the need in the draft by selecting Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth round at No. 120 overall. Dennis-Sutton recorded 17 sacks over his final two college seasons, but he arrives as an unproven rookie. He is expected to begin the season as the team’s fourth or fifth edge rusher on the depth chart, with a chance to move up while Parsons works his way back.
The offseason losses of Rashan Gary, who was traded to Dallas, and Kingsley Enagbare, who signed with the Jets, only deepened the concern at the position. The Packers finished the 2025 season 10-7 and were eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Chicago Bears. With a thin pass-rush rotation to open 2026, Green Bay needs Parsons back sooner rather than later.
