Entering the 2026 offseason, Green Bay Packers fans couldn't escape one conversation that seemed to be ever-present. "What are they going to do without Micah Parsons?" After Parsons went down with an ACL injury in Week 15 of the 2025 season, the Packers' pass rush was dismal at best. Not to mention they never won a single game after that. The defense went from being a sack leader with Parsons on the field to barely even sniffing the quarterback without him. So, rightfully so, especially after the trade of Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys, edge rusher was basically on the wishlist of every Packer fan.  Rumors swirled of the Packers being interested in Khalil Mack, Jadeveon Clowney, and even Von Miller's name got thrown around. Despite the age of these players, they were thought to be good, serviceable veterans to generate some disruption as well as tutor the team's young pass rushers. At least give them some kind of pass rush assistance until Parsons returned from injury. But when free agency came and went, and the Packers didn't even address the position, it was a bit troubling for some fans, but we still had the draft. Then, by day 3, the Packers still hadn't drafted an edge rusher, leading fans to believe Brian Gutekunst was out of his mind. It wasn't until the fourth round that the team drafted Dani Dennis-Sutton, and even though it was late in the fourth round, many were saying that the Packers may have drafted a steal. But that didn't stop the continued rumors of additions throughout training camp. Perhaps the biggest edge rusher acquisition rumor before the season was a possible trade with the Arizona Cardinals for edge rusher Josh Sweat. Despite Brian Gutekunst later denying that any talks about acquiring Sweat ever occurred, the chatter amongst the media remained high. Everyone believed there was no way the Packers would head into the season with only the edge rushers they currently had on the roster. But they did. And it's paid off. Paid off to the tune of 22 total sacks, which is good for 6th in the league, as well as 51 QB hits, which is ranked 11th in the league. They've done this with Lukas Van Ness, an edge rusher long believed by some to be a possible bust, leading the way with 4.5 sacks and around 12 pressures. The fourth-round rookie, Dani Dennis-Sutton, isn't far off with 2.5 sacks and 20 QB pressures. But probably the most impressive stat for the pass rush is the fact that 11 other players have registered at least 0.5 sacks. They're getting to the quarterback without their pass rushing superstar.  But now, that pass rushing superstar is returning. The Sky is the Limit With Micah Parsons back at practice this week, the countdown is on. With only two games until the Bye week, it stands to reason that the team will likely give Parsons that extra time to get up to speed. That would put Parsons' return on the day before Thanksgiving in Los Angeles vs. the Rams. Several teams will be adding, or have already added, players with the trade deadline coming up, but the Packers may be adding the biggest piece of all with a top-10 best player in the league hitting their lineup for the last seven games of the regular season.  The idea of the sixth-ranked pass rush in the league adding an absolute game-wrecker like Parsons should send shivers down opponents' spines.  It may sound strange, but having Micah Parsons out for so long may have actually been a positive for the Green Bay Packers. Lukas Van Ness has gone his entire career being the third or even fourth pass rusher on the team despite his draft pedigree. Getting the chance to try putting the edge rusher's room on his shoulders for a bit may have lit a fire underneath him. The same may go for Dani Dennis-Sutton and Barryn Sorrell. They've had a chance to see some extra reps they may not see otherwise with Parsons active, and they got to learn life without a premier pass rusher covering for them. Once they have Parsons on the other side drawing more attention and making QBs uncomfortable, they can use what they've learned in his absence to perhaps dial things up even further.  The Packers entered the offseason with the media and fans both wondering how they could generate a pass rush without Micah Parsons, especially with how terribly they ended the season in that area. Now, they've spent the first half of the season proving they can still get after the QB. The young guns have stepped up, gained experience, and shown that this group of edge rushers has more depth than many initially gave it credit for. With Micah Parsons soon to return, the Packers are looking at a pass rush that isn't just getting its best player back, but one that is better prepared than ever to make some noise.   Filed Under: Packers NewsFeaturedGreen Bay PackersGreg Meinholz PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE. __________________________ Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings. __________________________ NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Green Bay PackersLukas Van NessDani Dennis-SuttonMicah ParsonsBarryn Sorrell Like 0 points