With their playoff fate already sealed, the Green Bay Packers tried to look into the future on Sunday afternoon. The 16-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18 was a blip on the radar compared to their upcoming Super Bowl bid, and it was a final audition for players on the bubble to force their way into the team’s plans for the playoffs.
For Barryn Sorrell, it was a mission accomplished. The fourth-round rookie pass rusher had a strong performance, collecting eight tackles with a sack and a tackle for loss in the afternoon. While Sorrell’s quest for playing time has been an uphill battle all season, it may finally pay off with a bigger role when the Packers begin their playoff run next week.
Barryn Sorrell’s Breakout Could Be a Wild Card for Packers’ Playoff Run
The Packers’ group of pass rushers has been a carousel in 2025. Micah Parsons was dominant in his first season in Green Bay until a torn ACL ended his season early. Rahsan Gary has disappeared to the point that he could be playing for another team in 2026, and Kingsley Engabare has emerged as Lukas Van Ness has been recovering from a foot injury.
With Parsons out, the Packers likely rely on Gary, Engabare, and Van Ness as their primary pass rushers. But it also creates an open spot as the No. 4 pass rusher, which Sorrell may have staked his claim to after Sunday’s performance.
According to Pro Football Focus, Sorrell has frequently been an afterthought in the Packers’ rotation, averaging 10.5 snaps in 12 games before Week 18. His production in pass rushing has also been inconsistent as a result, managing just four pressures on 86 pass-rushing snaps this season, with half of those coming in Week 2.
But Sunday’s game showed what he could become. In addition to the traditional numbers, Sorrell also had a fumble recovery, jumping on a loose ball from the arms of Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer in the fourth quarter. It’s also more productive than Gary has been over the past two months, as the veteran hasn’t had a tackle for loss since Week 7.
With the Packers slated to be underdogs throughout their playoff journey, having an emerging player like Sorrell could be a big benefit. It might be what Green Bay needs to get its bite back after Parsons’ injury and help them make a deep run into January if Sorrell keeps playing as he did on Sunday.