The Green Bay Packers may enter 2026 with a roster good enough to matter, but the first month comes with a serious problem: they could be without both Josh Jacobs and Micah Parsons.
That’s the issue ESPN’s Rob Demovsky pointed to as the team’s “biggest concern” heading into the year. In his view, the Packers’ early-season outlook hinges on a simple question: "Biggest concern: Can they survive without Josh Jacobs and Micah Parsons to start the season?"
Parsons gives Green Bay its best pass-rushing threat and, as Demovsky notes, is arguably the defense’s top player overall. The good news, at least relative to Jacobs, is that Parsons has a clearer path back. He is expected to miss the first four weeks and could be available again as early as Week 5.
Jacobs is a much murkier situation. The running back led the Packers’ backs in carries last season, and Green Bay does not have the same kind of proven answer behind him, with Marshan Lloyd and Chris Brooks on the roster. Demovsky put it bluntly: "Jacobs had the most carries out of the Green Bay running backs last season, and who knows when -- or whether -- he'll come off the commissioner exempt list and be available."
Because of off-field legal matters, Jacobs is unavailable to start the season, and there is no clear timetable for his return. He could miss the year entirely.
The schedule gives Green Bay a little breathing room, at least early. Week 1 brings Minnesota, which is a tough opener, but the stretch through Weeks 2-4 against the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is manageable. The test ramps up fast after that, with the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and Detroit Lions lined up in Weeks 5-7.
If the Packers can survive that opening four-game stretch at 2-2 or better without Jacobs or Parsons, they could get both players back just as the schedule tightens. Until then, though, their season starts with two major holes to fill.
In Other News...
Packers May Have An Undrafted Receiver Fans Can't Ignore
J. Michael Sturdivant spent the preseason making it hard for the Packers to look past him, and his six-catch, 112-yard outing gave Green Bay another reason to keep him around. The undrafted rookie receiver earned a roster spot after flashing the kind of size-speed combination that can stand out in a crowded position group, and it comes at a time when the Packers already have Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden sitting atop the depth chart.
Sturdivant is not expected to walk into a starring role, but the fit is easy to see for a team that likes to stretch the field and work the edges. His chances figure to come on downfield throws and along the sideline, where his traits could make him a useful piece if the Packers need another receiver to turn preseason promise into real-game production. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Pass Rush Gamble Will Get An Early Reality Check
The Packers are heading into 2026 with a pass rush plan that leans heavily on youth, and that makes the first stretch of the season especially revealing. With Micah Parsons recovering, Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell are the edge players expected to shoulder the load, giving Green Bay a chance to see whether its in-house options can hold up before the schedule stiffens.
The opening three weeks offer a relatively soft landing spot, which should help the Packers measure more than just sack totals. If the pressure does not come in waves or the edge play looks too thin, Green Bay could quickly find itself studying the veteran market, where names such as Josh Sweat and Maxx Crosby would make sense as potential fixes. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Defense Suddenly Has A Pressure Point Fans Can't Ignore
The Packers pass rush is going into the season with a narrower margin for error than usual after cutdowns left them with only four edge rushers on the roster. Collin Olivers move to injured reserve helped create that reality, and it has pushed the conversation toward how Green Bay can manufacture pressure without overloading the players it does have on the edge.
One answer may come from Edgerrin Cooper, who is expected to help supplement that part of the defense after the Packers experimented with him off the edge in training camp. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon could lean more heavily on Coopers pass-rushing role to help cover for the depth issue, but the bigger question is how much Green Bay wants to ask of him right away as the season begins to unfold. [Read more 🡒]