It remains unclear when Packers defensive end Micah Parsons will be back on the field, but he doesn’t think anyone should be focused on the calendar when thinking about his return from last year’s torn ACL.
Parsons is not expected to be ready to go at the start of the regular season and he called it “very realistic” that he’ll be back for a Week 6 home game against the Cowboys while speaking to reporters on Tuesday. He also said that the actual date of his return is of less importance than the player he is when he does make his next appearance in the Green Bay lineup.
Parsons made it clear that he’s expecting to be just as disruptive to offenses as he was before the injury.
“When you come out of these situations, you’re either going to be better or worse,” Parsons said, via Matt Schneidman of TheAthletic.com. “For me, I’ve done everything I possibly can to be better. People are worried about if I come back. People should worry about how I’m gonna be when I come back. That’s my mentality and how I feel, how I’m gonna approach when I’m back. People worried about the knee, they should be worried about how I’m gonna play when I get back. The anger, the frustration, the things that I’m about to let out because of how long it’s been since I’ve played. So I think that’s what people should really worry about. How great is Micah gonna be when he gets back? Not about when I get back because that’s the short term.”
The Packers know Parsons’s long-term value to the team is greater than what a few early season games are worth, so everyone should be on board with Parsons getting as much time as needed to feel like he can be the defensive force that the Packers need him to be this season.
