The Green Bay Packers sold the farm to get Micah Parsons. The draft capital and lofty contract extension made him arguably the team's most valuable asset, and they won't take any chances when it comes to his health.
The Penn State product has been transparent about his recovery process, and while he's targeting Week 6 as a potential return date, he's also been honest about setting a high standard for himself and not getting back out there unless he's 100 percent confident he can play at his level.
For Brian Gutekunst, that's not enough. When asked about Parsons' recovery, the Packers' general manager left the door open for a quicker return date. However, that will only happen if he's fully healthy, regardless of whether he wants to play before that happens.
Micah Parsons might be available before Week 6
"We have a pretty good idea," Gutekunst said (h/t), "that once we get out of that four-game window we're going to be pretty close. As you guys have heard me say, I'm going to be pretty cautious with that. We've got a big investment there. He's really important to what we're trying to do, and to accomplish the goals we want to late in the year, he's going to need to be at his best. So I want to make sure that happens, but he's eager."
This makes perfect sense. The Packers made a huge investment to get one of the best pass rushers in the game, and he's still got his best years ahead of him. They need him badly, but they need to think about the big picture.
The Packers didn't trade for Parsons to make a Super Bowl run right away. Of course, having him there elevates their floor and makes them a contender, but they want him to stay through his prime years and potentially even finish his career at Lambeau Field.
NFL players are fearless competitors. Parsons has already shown his teeth and determination to win and become one of the all-time greats, which can lead him to make some rash decisions. He's said all the right things about wanting to take his time before returning, but what if the Packers get off to a slow start to the season? Or how will he feel when he's watching his teammates from the sidelines?
Parsons is an emotional, high-character guy who won't hesitate to tell it as he sees it, even if that means calling out his own team. He's matured since his days with the Dallas Cowboys, but that can still be an issue if he feels that he can play and the team still isn't so sure.
Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is looking at a big challenge in his first year in charge of that unit. There's no such thing as replacing a player of Parsons' caliber, but he must figure out the best way to mitigate his absence.
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