The Packers are taking a cautious route with Micah Parsons, but there’s a date circled that stands out above the rest.
After suffering a torn ACL and meniscus last season, Parsons is set to miss at least the first four games of the year. Green Bay placed him on the Reserve/PUP list when it cut down to 53 players, a move that keeps the star edge rusher on the sideline while he works his way back from a major knee injury.
From @GMFB: A look at some of the other news yesterday, with Micah Parsons on the PUP list and Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Cooper on the exempt list. pic.twitter.com/9Yuq6oDzDN
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2026
Ian Rapoport reported that Week 6 is a likely target for Parsons’ return, and that game would come against the Dallas Cowboys, his former team. If that timeline holds, Parsons would be coming back for a matchup that carries plenty of extra weight. The Packers star would have a chance to face the team that traded him and show why Green Bay made the move to bring him in.
There is also a path for Parsons to return one week earlier. If he’s ready the moment he becomes eligible, he could be back in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears.
Before the injury, Parsons had already built an impressive resume. He has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons and earned First-Team All-Pro honors for the third time last season. Through five years, he has 65 sacks and 297 tackles.
The big question now is how he looks when he finally gets back on the field after such a serious knee injury.
In Other News...
Cowboys Just Sent A Tough Message To Jaydon Blue And Phil Mafah
The Cowboys backfield picture got a little clearer, and a little more crowded, after roster cutdown day. Dallas waived Jaydon Blue and Joe Milton, with the expectation that Milton could be brought back on the practice squad if he clears the rest of the league, while Blue and Phil Mafah did not end up being retained on the practice squad after going unclaimed on waivers. The move left the team looking to shuffle its depth at running back rather than keep everyone in the building.
Brian Schottenheimer said the decision on Blue was tied more to how other players performed than to any lack of effort from the rookie. Dallas also added Israel Abanikanda to the practice squad, giving the Cowboys another running back option to join four others already there. For Blue and Mafah, it was a tough reminder that even in a crowded camp, a roster spot is only as secure as the last practice and the last evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Just Saw Another Failed D-Line Bet End Quietly
The Dolphins have picked up defensive tackle Mazi Smith for their practice squad, a quiet landing spot for a player who entered the league with plenty of expectations. Smith, a former first-round pick by the Cowboys, was released by the Jets after a brief stay and now gets another chance to stick with a team that is looking for depth along its defensive line.
For Dallas, it is another reminder of how far the former top pick still has to go after three NFL seasons with limited production. Smiths path has already included a move out of New York and into another roster-building project in Miami, and the next step will be whether he can turn a fresh opportunity into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Cutdown Choice Is Raising Questions After One Strong Summer
Cutdown weekend brought the usual churn, but the Cowboys still managed to leave some eyebrows raised with a few of their roster calls. Quarterback Joe Milton was among the most surprising names to go, especially after a preseason that seemed to strengthen his case, while rookie offensive tackle Drew Shelton stuck around as part of the final mix. Safety Julius Wood was also cut in the reshuffle, and Miami wasted little time claiming him off waivers.
For Dallas, the moves fit the broader reality of a roster that had to be trimmed, but they also invite the kind of second-guessing that always follows when a young player turns heads in August and still does not make the team. Miltons release, in particular, stands out because of how much momentum he appeared to build over the summer, and it leaves the Cowboys with another decision that will be debated well beyond cutdown day. [Read more 🡒]