If Jared Goff isn’t familiar with the Lambeau Field grass, Micah Parsons will soon fix that.
The uncertainty over Parsons’ status for Week 1 has slightly dampened the excitement following his blockbuster trade to the Green Bay Packers, but that changes now. It always seemed likely he would play, despite being limited at practice due to a back injury, and now we know with near certainty.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Parsons is “expected to be on the field with his new team” against the Detroit Lions in Week 1.
Micah Parsons is expected to play in Week 1, and it sure sounds like he always wanted the Packers
That’s not where the good news ends. Per Russini, when the possibility of the Dallas Cowboys trading him became realistic, he prioritized a move to Green Bay or Philadelphia.
“Green Bay appealed for its small-town feel, a reminder of his Penn State days in State College,” reports Russini.
Perfection. Parsons gets his wish, and he is now expected to play against a Lions team he admitted he has “never liked.” He’s not alone in that thinking.
The Packers have lost their past three Lambeau meetings with the Lions, and Parsons’ arrival is key to ending that. It’s unclear how many snaps he will play, not just due to the back injury that limited him at practice, but also because he missed all of training camp. The Packers need to ease him in.
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But Parsons will have more than enough time to impact the game.
Jared Goff is a different quarterback under pressure, and if the Packers’ revamped pass rush can throw off his timing, it will open the door to slowing down one of the league’s premier offenses.
It always seemed the likely scenario, and now Russini’s report confirms that Parsons should be out there in Week 1.
