The odds of Green Bay Packers rookie Collin Oliver making his NFL debut during the 2025 season may have taken a large hit entering Week 16. Oliver has been on the shelf throughout the 2025 campaign after suffering a hamstring injury in July, which was severe enough that it required the former Oklahoma State Cowboys standout to undergo surgery.
After being listed as a full participant during Thursday's practice, there was hope that this could be the weekend where Oliver gets onto the field and shows fans what he is all about. Unfortunately, that won't be happening against the Chicago Bears on Saturday night as Oliver was not activated from the IR, with Brenton Cox earning that distinction instead.
Oliver Likely to Miss 21-Day Activation Window After Week 16 Decision
This puts Oliver in a tough spot, as the Packers must activate him by Dec. 22 or he will miss the remainder of the season after his 21-day window closes. Should that ultimately come to fruition, something that looks much more likely following the decision to activate Cox instead, the rookie will have spent the 2025 season as a "redshirt" year in Green Bay.
With All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons set to miss a yet to be determined amount of time following a torn ACL, it would behoove Oliver to be ready to roll whenever his number is called as defenses can never put enough pressure on an opposing quarterback. That is an area where Oliver thrives, as evidenced by the 134 tackles, 40.5 TFLs, and 23.5 sacks he recorded during his collegiate career in Stillwater.
In order for Oliver to have that level of impact on an NFL game, however, he must first be healthy enough to earn the trust of his coaches before attempting to get the job done between the numbers. As of right now, Oliver does not appear to have much of a chance of that happening for him during the 2025 campaign.
However, Green Bay still has until Dec. 22 to make a final decision on the rookie so all hope is not lost just yet. Should a member of the Packers' front seven on defense, or a member of the special teams unit, go down with an injury during Green Bay's Week 16 tilt at Soldier Field, the activation to the 53-man roster that Oliver has patiently been waiting for could finall be on its way.
If not, the defender will have an entire offseason to work his way back to full health before tackling his next opportunity at making a name for himself in Green Bay once OTAs kick off in 2026.
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