The Green Bay Packers are staring down the barrel of at least four games without their highest-paid non-quarterback, Micah Parsons, who is still rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in Week 15 last season. This is a brutal start, especially considering what it cost them to get him and what happened the last time he was out. Remember, the Packers coughed up two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Cowboys just to land Parsons, then immediately locked him up with a massive 4-year, $186 million extension, making him the highest-paid edge rusher in the league with $136 million guaranteed.
That Massive Parsons Bet Is Already on Shaky Ground
That trade for Parsons was supposed to be a game-changer, a real swing for the fences. Instead, he went down in Week 15, and the Packers promptly lost *every single game* without him. Let that sink in. Every. Single. Game. Their 2025 season finished a disappointing 9-7-1, barely sneaking into the 7th playoff seed, only to be one-and-done. Yeah, they went 4-2 in the division, sweeping the Lions and splitting with the Bears and Vikings, but their loss to Minnesota was in a meaningless Week 18 game where they trotted out backups. Overall, they were just above average, ranking 11th in Total DVOA. Their offense was okay, 16th in points and 6th in DVOA, thanks to limiting turnovers, where they ranked 3rd. But their defense? That’s where the real head-scratching stats pop up. They were 11th in points allowed but a lowly 19th in DVOA, mostly because they ranked 26th in actually *producing* turnovers. That kind of imbalance screams “not good enough” for a team with playoff aspirations.
New DC, Same Old Problems Without Parsons?
The offseason brought a coordinator change that could either make or break this defense. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley jumped ship to become the Dolphins’ head coach, and in steps Jonathan Gannon, recently fired from the Cardinals. Here’s the kicker, though: Gannon’s track record isn’t exactly sparkling. He had one good defense in Philadelphia in 2022, which landed him the Arizona job, but his defenses there ranged from mediocre to poor. Now, he’s got a better roster in Green Bay, but the big question mark is how he’ll generate a pass rush, especially with Parsons sidelined. Gannon historically hasn’t blitzed much, which is a concern. Even when Parsons returns, there are weaknesses Gannon will need to manage, and the entire defensive unit will need to master his scheme differences. It feels like Gannon doesn’t bring much added value beyond the players already on the field, and without Parsons for a chunk of the early season, that defense is going to have to prove a lot, really fast.
The stakes for the Packers are high with Parsons missing the first few games. They need Gannon to work some magic and for the rest of that defense to step up. This early season will tell us if that massive gamble on Parsons was worth it, or if it just set them back even further.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Daily Norseman.
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