The Green Bay Packers have high-end talent at multiple positions throughout their roster.
On offense quarterback Jordan Love, right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, and tight end Tucker Kraft immediately come to mind. Defensively — linebacker Micah Parsons, safety Xavier McKinney, and cornerback Keisean Nixon would fit the bill. The former two were the recent subject of a rankings list from Bleacher Report.
Green Bay Packers OLB Micah Parsons, S Xavier McKinney Named Among Best Defensive Duos in NFL
Analyst Brent Sobleski recently ranked his five best defensive duos in the NFL. Coming in at the fifth spot were Parsons and McKinney. Solbeski noted that the two could have been higher on the list if not for Parsons recovering from the torn ACL he sustained last season.
“Prior to the December injury, Parsons was firmly in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He registered at least 12 sacks in each of his five NFL seasons, with 65 total during that stretch. That feat may be difficult to achieve this year, but how he performs over the second half of the season will be far more important than how it began.”
Solbeski also had big praise for McKinney, noting that he flies under the radar despite all of his success.
“Parsons spearheads the Packers’ defense. However, Xavier McKinney is the backbone. The two-time All-Pro (first- and second-team honors) somehow doesn’t get enough credit for how good he really is. Since joining the Packers prior to the 2024 campaign, McKinney has registered 195 total tackles, 10 interceptions and 21 defended passes. He’s a legitimate playmaker on the back end, capable of playing all over the field.”
Packers Have Favorable Schedule While Parsons Is Sidelined
There’s no doubt Green Bay’s defense will miss Parsons not matter who it plays. However, as Parsons sits at the first four games, the Packers got a favorable draw of opposing offenses. Their Week 1 opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, have a new quarterback in Kyler Murray. Although he could be an upgrade from J.J. McCarthy, it may take him some time to settle in.
In Week 2 they’ll travel to New York to take on the Jets. While New York have some talented offensive players such as running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, there’s a pretty big drop off after that. QB Geno Smith is now 35 years old and has been on the decline over the past couple of seasons.
Green Bay takes on the Atlanta Falcons in its home opener in Week 3. Like the Jets, Atlanta has a nice RB/WR duo in Bijan Robinson and Drake London, but have one of the worst QB situations in the league with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa. Rounding things out in Week 4 is another road matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This could be the toughest test of the four, but the Bucs’ offense did regress a bit in 2025.
Pair of Packers All-Pros Named Among Best Duos in NFL