The Green Bay Packers planned for Micah Parsons to be back around Week 6 based on the timing of his ACL injury last season. However, while Tom Pelissero of The Ringer reports that Parsons has not had a setback, he is also reporting that the initial timeline set in the summer might have been a bit optimistic.
Parsons is not expected to return to practice one week before his expected return, and Pelissero notes that this will likely delay his return. He might not be in the lineup until closer to Week 8 or Week 9.
“Parsons is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list in Week 5, but he isn’t expected to return to practice next week,” Pelissero wrote. “And while there have been no setbacks, it’s possible that the five-time Pro Bowl selection won’t play in a game until November.”
Pelissero noted that the Packers’ schedule might have an impact on the delay in a return.
Green Bay Packers Might Not See Micah Parsons Until November
Parsons had Week 6 circled, not only because that was the likely medical timeline for him to return, but also because he was facing his old team, the Dallas Cowboys. However, while he might be close to being ready for that game, Green Bay does not want to push it.
That is because it is a Sunday night game. So, the turnaround for Week 7 would be a bit delayed. More than that, Week 7 is a division game. So, the Packers might want to sit him in Week 6 so that he is ready for Week 7.
What makes things interesting is that the Packers play on Thursday Night Football in Week 8. While Green Bay would like him out there in Week 7, there is a fear that he would play an intense division game and then not be physically ready for the Thursday turnaround.
So, the team could play it cautiously and hold him until after Week 7. That would be October 29. So, the chances of this pushing into November have dramatically improved.
Reports Say Parsons Did Not Have a Setback
The timeline can be understood, but there is not a great time for him to return. At some point, everything is a risk, so they have to just allow him to play and see what happens. The team is saying that Parsons did not have a setback, but that is hard to see considering Week 6 was an initial timeline.
Green Bay has said that they wait nine months after an ACL injury to return to activity. Christian Watson and Tucker Kraft recently suffered ACL injuries. They both returned to practice right at nine months. Parsons should have returned to practice this week to hit that deadline.
So, now his recovery timeline is a week or two behind the Packers’ timelines for recent similar injuries. They are either taking things slower with him than they have with others, or he has not progressed as fast as they wanted. Those are the only explanations for this not being a setback.
Packers Timeline for Micah Parsons Return Takes Troubling Turn