The Green Bay Packers knew they wouldn't have a first-round pick this year, and they were happy about it. That's how everyone feels whenever they can get their hands on a player of Micah Parsons' caliber, regardless of the price.
The Packers acquired one of the league's most promising and disruptive defensive players, a wrecking ball who can wreak havoc at both defensive end and outside linebacker, and the next in line to be football's premier defensive player.
That's why, even after watching him suffer a season-ending injury that will keep him sidelined through the first month of the 2026 season, ESPN's Seth Walder still thinks he'll make history soon. In an NFL Future Power Rankings article ranking teams from 2027 through 2029, he predicted Parsons would break Myles Garrett's single-season sack record in the next three years.
Micah Parsons can make NFL history if he's healthy
"Parsons will break Myles Garrett's single-season sack record. He has never exceeded 14.0 sacks in a season. But since he entered the league in 2021, he has a 29% career pass rush win rate -- much higher than the second-best player, Garrett, at 24.9%. If Garrett can record 23 sacks on the Browns, Parsons can exceed that on a better team in the Packers," wrote Walder.
Michael Strahan's single-season record of 22.5 sacks stood for 24 years until T.J. Watt tied him in 2021. Myles Garrett shattered that mark with 23.0 quarterback takedowns last season, albeit both he and Watt had one more regular-season game to do so.
Parsons has never had more than 14.0 sacks in a season, but, to be fair, he's never had less than 12.0 either; he's reached 13.0 in every season he's played at least 16 games, including his rookie campaign.
Garrett reached 16.0 sacks in his fifth year, something Parsons probably could've accomplished if he hadn't missed the final three games of the season. Also, for what it's worth, Parsons logged 65.0 sacks in his first five seasons, significantly more than the 58.5 sacks Garrett registered in his first half-decade.
Of course, this isn't linear, and that doesn't necessarily mean that Parsons will undoubtedly set a new mark. But if he can stay healthy after suffering the first major injury of his career, it wouldn't be far-fetched to think he can. I mean, if anyone can come close to it, that's probably him.
Parsons is just getting started. He has the hunger, athleticism, and determination to be one of the all-time greats. That said, knee injuries are tricky and can linger if not healed properly. That will remain a big question mark with him.
The Packers are doing the right thing by erring on the side of caution with his recovery, especially after all they gave up to get him and how much they're paying him. If he can avoid another long layoff, he'll at least have a fair shot at this mark.
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