September 1, 2026
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday that Parsons (knee) could return from the PUP list when first eligible in Week 5,
Ryan Wood of USA Today reports. "We have a pretty good idea once we get out of that four-game window we're going to be pretty close," Gutekunst said.
ANALYSISThough he'll miss time to begin the season, Parsons is progressing as expected in his recovery from a torn ACL in his left knee, which he sustained Dec. 14. Parsons had previously told
Wood that the Packers' Week 6 game against the Cowboys was a "very realistic" target for his return to the field, and Gutekunst's comments suggest that the door is open for the star edge rusher to play as soon as Week 5 against the Bears. According to
Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Gutekunst added that Parsons could be a candidate to resume practicing as soon as Week 2, when the Packers would first be able to open up his 21-day evaluation window.