The Green Bay Packers probably won’t have Micah Parsons back on the field until October, which means the team is in considerable need of at least one more edge defender before the start of the regular season.
Green Bay hasn’t moved with urgency to fill perhaps its biggest remaining roster hole, but one can make a strong argument that general manager Brian Gutekunst and company should, given that every other team in the NFC North Division also needs to add another pass-rusher before Week 1.
A handful of talented veterans remain available in free agency, including Cameron Jordan and Jadeveon Clowney. However, the best fit for the Packers is arguably five-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa, most recently of the Buffalo Bills.
“Bosa would give Green Bay the reliable rotational piece they lack off the edge, while serving as a much-needed insurance policy for [Lukas] Van Ness,” Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network wrote in early May.
The Packers traded pass-rusher Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick earlier this offseason. Thus, with Parsons hurt, Van Ness is the top option off the edge. However, he has just 8.5 sacks across three seasons in Green Bay, which points to the critical need for a roster addition at the outside linebacker spot.
Joey Bosa Remains Effective, Efficient NFL Edge-Rusher
GettyDefensive end Joey Bosa, formerly of the Buffalo Bills.
A five-time Pro Bowler, Bosa’s best days are probably behind him. However, he was still an effective pass-rusher and regular starter for Buffalo last season.
Bosa finished the year with 15 games played (all starts). He tallied nine tackles for loss, five sacks and led the league with five forced fumbles. Bosa added 47 pressures and 30 quarterback hurries across 336 pass-rush snaps, which rendered him one of the most efficient edge-rushers in the NFL in 2025.
The Bills paid Bosa $12.6 million for one season of work. He will play next year at the age of 31. Spotrac projects Bosa’s market value at approximately $27.5 million over a new two-year contract.
Bears, Vikings, Lions All in Need of Pass-Rushers
GettyPass-rusher Jonathan Greenard, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Chicago Bears captured the division crown last season despite having one of the worst pass rush win rates and quick pressure totals. The defense held together because it led the NFL in turnovers, but it’s unlikely the same number of balls bounce the Bears’ way in 2026, which means more pressure on opposing QBs (and the resulting mistakes) will be necessary.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during April’s draft, immediately after which then-interim general manager Rob Brzezinski admitted the Vikings were a worse team because of it.
“[The trade is] something we understand is not making the Minnesota Vikings a better team today,” Brzezinski said, per Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. “But there’s a lot of factors involved, and particularly with the economics, we were able to reach a resolution that made sense for the Vikings.”
Third-year player and former first-round pick Dallas Turner is going to step into a starting role, but that depletes the depth of the position group, which a situational edge-rusher like Bosa could fill.
Finally, the Detroit Lions have superstar Aidan Hutchinson, though not much proven talent behind him. The team added DJ Wonnum on a one-year, $3 million deal in free agency and selected Derrick Moore out of Michigan in the second round of the draft.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell said on June 5 that the Lions’ are the team most likely to regret not attempting to trade for Myles Garrett, who landed with the Los Angeles Rams last week.
Barnwell went on to suggest the Lions as a fit for Maxx Crosby. However, if Detroit doesn’t want to make that kind of blockbuster deal, the franchise is clearly a fit for a player like Bosa.
Packers Can Sign 5-Time Pro Bowler, Beat NFC North Run on Pass-Rushers