The Green Bay Packers made one of the NFL’s boldest moves last season when they acquired Micah Parsons.
Their opening stretch in 2026 will test how well the rest of the defense can function without him as he recovers from injury.
Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim identified “Can another pass rusher step up?” as one of Green Bay’s two burning questions as training camp begins.
Parsons led the Packers with 12.5 sacks last season, while Rashan Gary finished second with 7.5 before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. No other Green Bay defender recorded more than four.
That leaves Lukas Van Ness at the center of an early-season problem that could shape the Packers’ start.
Parsons’ Recovery Leaves Packers With Risk
GettyDENVER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 14: Micah Parsons #1 of the Green Bay Packers is attended to by medical staff during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on December 14, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Parsons underwent reconstructive ACL surgery Dec. 29, with the procedure also including a meniscus cleanup.
He said in June that Green Bay’s medical staff was following a nine-month return-to-football timeline, potentially putting him back on the practice field in late September.
A move to the physically unable to perform list would keep him out for at least four games.
Parsons noted that the larger goal is finishing the season healthy and helping Green Bay make a championship run, rather than forcing an accelerated return.
The former Dallas Cowboy earned his fourth career All-Pro selection after posting 12.5 sacks despite missing the final three-plus regular-season games.
Pro Football Focus gave Parsons a 92.9 pass-rush grade, second among NFL edge defenders, while crediting him with 79 pressures and a 22.6% pass-rush win rate.
Green Bay was 9-3-1 when he injured his knee against the Denver Broncos, then failed to win another game and exited the playoffs in the wild-card round.
His presence also made life easier for the rushers around him.
Offenses had to account for Parsons on every passing down, which created favorable matchups and forced protection adjustments. And Gary’s departure removes the most familiar player who benefited from that attention.
Green Bay can survive a short absence if its younger rushers create consistent disruption.
A quiet first month, however, could place too much responsibility on a defense learning Jonathan Gannon’s new system.
Van Ness Gets the Opportunity Green Bay Has Awaited
GettyARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 28: Lukas Van Ness #90 of the Green Bay Packers looks on during warm-ups against the Dallas Cowboys before the game at AT&T Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Packers have backed Van Ness with more than public optimism.
Green Bay exercised the 2023 first-round pick’s fifth-year option, guaranteeing him $13.8 million for the 2027 season.
Van Ness has 8.5 regular-season sacks through 43 career games, a modest return for the No. 13 overall selection, but his third season never gained momentum after a foot injury.
He recorded 1.5 sacks in his first five games before hurting his foot while sacking Joe Flacco in Week 6.
Van Ness missed most of the next two months, then finished the year with a career-high six tackles against the Baltimore Ravens and a sack and forced fumble in the playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.
His healthy offseason has offered a more encouraging picture.
Van Ness repeatedly reached the backfield during the Packers’ first minicamp practice, working from the edge and interior. He said Gannon’s defense has allowed him to play freely, while teammates praised his first-step speed.
Parsons has also placed considerable faith in him, predicting that Van Ness could become a favorite among Packers fans if he stays healthy.
No player on Green Bay’s roster can duplicate Parsons by himself.
The Packers need Van Ness to become a dependable primary rusher while the rest of the group supplies enough pressure to bridge the gap.
That opportunity has been building since Green Bay drafted him three years ago.
With Parsons recovering and Gary gone, Van Ness enters 2026 with the approach to prove the Packers were right to keep betting on him.
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