Green Bay Packers rookie fifth-rounder Collin Oliver took another step toward making his NFL debut on Thursday. For a Packers team reeling after losing All-Pro Micah Parsons (torn ACL) for the season, Oliver's timing couldn't be better.
The former Oklahoma State Cowboy (2021-24) was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a severe hamstring injury that required surgery at the start of training camp on July 18.
After being a limited participant during Tuesday's walk-thru and Wednesday's practice, the Packers (9-4-1) labeled Oliver a full participant on Thursday, officially listing him as questionable for Saturday's massive game for first place in the NFC North against the Chicago Bears (10-4) (8:20 p.m. ET, Fox).
Collin Oliver's Possible Packers Debut Comes at the Perfect Time
Oliver was first designated to return from injury in early December, back when the Packers' defensive situation was much different. At the time, Packers Wire's Zack Kruse wrote that it was "hard to see where Collin Oliver fits on the current 53-man roster."
That was before star defensive end Micah Parsons tore his ACL in Week 15's 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos (12-2). Without Parsons, who ranks No. 2 in ESPN's pass-rush win rate metric among edge defenders, the Packers' pass-rush is compromised. Per NFL Pro, Parsons leads the NFL with 83 pressures. For comparison's sake, Rashan Gary is second on the team with 42, which is tied for 31st.
If active, Oliver, 23, will look to replicate the instant success he experienced as a freshman at Oklahoma State, when he led the Big 12 with 11.5 sacks and received second-team all-conference honors. The No. 159 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft ultimately finished his impressive collegiate career with 23 sacks, despite his senior year being cut short due to a season-ending foot injury, limiting him to two games. Oliver hasn't played since the first half of a double-overtime win over Arkansas on Sept. 7, 2024.
With such a long layoff, it's anyone's guess how the rookie will fare as Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley eases him into rotation. Gary, Kingsley Enagbare, rookie fourth-rounder Barryn Sorrell, and 2023 first-rounder Lukas Van Ness are among the players ahead of Oliver on the depth chart. Brenton Cox, a full participant in this week's practice, is also questionable and could return from a Week 1 groin injury. Oliver may need to make the most out of limited snaps to earn a heavier workload, but Green Bay needs all hands on deck to make up for Parsons' absence.
That's particularly essential against the Bears, who rank first in pass-block win rate. After being sacked a league-high 68 times last season as a rookie, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has only been sacked 23 times this year. His 4.77 percent sack rate is 6.02 percentage points lower than last season.
In the first game between the two on Dec. 7, the Packers only sacked Williams once. Green Bay affected him when pressured, however, limiting Williams to 3-of-12 passing for 39 yards when under duress. Conversely, Williams was 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) for 147 yards on plays he faced no pressure, via Pro Football Focus.
The Bears are averaging 388 yards per game over their last seven contests — a stretch in which they've gone 6-1 —the fourth-most in the league since Week 9, per Stathead. With Parsons out, the Packers' job will be much more difficult. Oliver can help alleviate some concerns by carving out a role for himself, though. It's imperative for Green Bay that he does. It can use all the help it can get.