Micah Parsons’ mid-October target for a return takes some of the sting out of the Packers’ early schedule, because Green Bay may not have to ask its defense to survive the hardest part of the slate without him.
The Packers are set to open with a trip to the Vikings, then head to the Jets, host the Falcons and travel to the Buccaneers. Based on Sharp Football’s offensive line rankings, those first four opponents check in at Nos. 12, 19, 10 and 4, respectively.
Parsons could be available by Week 5 against the Bears, who sit at No. 6, but the more likely play is to hold him back until the following week against the Cowboys at No. 17.
That timing matters because, as good as Parsons is, there’s no clean way to replace what he brings off the edge. Still, the early matchups suggest Green Bay may be able to get through the opening stretch without pushing him back too soon.
Week 1 in Minnesota looks like the most manageable of the bunch. Kyler Murray is still getting comfortable in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and the adjustment to playing under center could be a real issue for a smaller quarterback.
The Vikings’ offensive line is big, but Murray may need time to settle into the new system. Advantage: Packers.
Week 2 brings Geno Smith and the Jets, along with a young tackle duo in Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. Even so, the write-up on that matchup is pretty blunt: it’s the Jets.
Smith is coming off a rough season, and the expectation is that New York will be near the bottom of the league again in 2026. Advantage: The team from Wisconsin.
Week 3 against the Falcons doesn’t sound much more threatening. The quarterback competition there isn’t exactly intimidating, with Tua Tagovailoa projected to beat Michael Penix Jr. in a battle of left-handers, and Kevin Stefanski trying to show he wasn’t the problem in Cleveland.
The one name that does stand out is right tackle Jawaan Taylor, described as a false-start machine and Atlanta’s flashy offseason addition. Advantage: The Cheeseheads.
Then comes Week 4 in Tampa Bay, and that’s where the schedule starts to stiffen. The Buccaneers are physical in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and Tristan Wirfs is the kind of tackle who can make life difficult for any pass rush.
That matchup could force Coach Hafley to get creative, and Lukas Van Ness would be the one tested most. Advantage: Bucs.
The Bears in Week 5 remain a possibility for Parsons, though the source of the optimism is tempered by caution. Chicago did overhaul its offensive line last offseason, but losing Ozzy Trapilo was a setback, and there are still questions at left tackle. Even so, Darnell Wright and Joe Thuney would still be waiting, and that might be a little much to ask if Parsons is not ready yet.
In Other News...
Jordan Love Is Showing Why The Packers Stayed Patient
Jordan Loves growth has been easy to trace if you watch the details before the snap. The Packers quarterback said his years behind Aaron Rodgers gave him a front-row view of how much control a quarterback can have at the line of scrimmage, especially when it comes to protection adjustments and getting everyone settled before the play starts. It is the kind of lesson that does not always show up in the box score, but it has clearly helped shape the player Green Bay has now.
Love has gone from apprentice to steady starter, and the last three seasons have only reinforced why the Packers were willing to wait. He has developed into a quarterback who can handle the mental side of the job as well as the physical one, and that matters most in January, where Green Bay has been back in the playoff picture multiple times. The next step is less about proving he belongs and more about just how far that command can carry him. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Forgotten Draft Pick Worth Watching
John Williams barely got a chance to show what Green Bay thought it was getting when it drafted the former Cincinnati Bearcats guard, because a back injury wiped out his entire rookie season. Now he is back in training camp, and the early return has been encouraging for a Packers offensive line that can always use more flexibility. General manager Brian Gutekunst has already pointed to Williams progress, especially the way he has handled a variety of responsibilities up front.
What makes Williams interesting again is not just that he is healthy, but that he has been movable across the line in a way that gives the Packers options if he keeps building on this camp. Preseason games will matter here, because roster spots are never handed out on potential alone, and Williams still has to beat out the other names in the mix before Green Bay decides whether this forgotten draft pick is ready to stick. [Read more 🡒]
Matt LaFleur Opens Up About A Personal Loss Beyond Packers Camp
Packers coach Matt LaFleur had planned to leave training camp and make the trip to a funeral service for Cristina Ulbrich, the wife of his longtime friend Jeff Ulbrich, but a mechanical problem with his private plane kept him from attending. The aircraft failed its preflight check, interrupting a personal obligation that had been on LaFleurs calendar as he balanced camp duties with a difficult off-field moment.
Cristina Ulbrich died last month after a battle with cancer, and the Falcons announced her death on July 30. LaFleur and his wife had intended to fly in for the service, a reminder that even in the middle of camp, football people are still carrying the kinds of personal losses that pull them away from the field. [Read more 🡒]