Aug 31, 2026 4:02 PM
Updated Aug 31, 2026 4:07 PM

The Green Bay Packers got a stellar preseason NFL power ranking despite Micah Parsons' injury.

ESPN believes the Green Bay Packers are the seventh-best team in the NFL heading into Week 1 of the 2026 season. 

Even though Micah Parsons will miss the start of the 2026 season, ESPN is high on the Packers.

Green Bay went 0-4 to finish the 2025 season and lost to the Chicago Bears in the wild-card round of the playoffs despite having a 21-6 lead. Parsons tore his ACL against the Denver Broncos in Week 15. Green Bay didn't win a game after that.

It's currently unknown when Parsons will be cleared to play. He underwent ACL surgery and a meniscus procedure. Surgery took place on December 29. A nine-month recovery timeline means we should not expect to see Parsons on the field before September 29.

Parsons told reporters on Tuesday (8/4) that he may play against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6. That quote didn't shock anyone. After all, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers last year.   

Parsons had a stellar first season with the Packers. He finished with 12.5 sacks, 19 solo tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 27 QB hits in 14 games. Green Bay certainly can't wait for the Penn State product to return to the field.  

The Packers open the 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings. It's time for QB Jordan Love to play like an MVP. Love signed a four-year, $220 million contract with Green Bay in 2024. He needs to produce like a superstar and live up to that monster contract.

Love enters this season with 11,535 passing yards and 83 passing touchdowns. He's 27-20-1 as a starter. 

For the Packers last season, Love put up 3,381 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns while completing 66.3% of his passes. 

Green Bay is 1-3 in the playoffs since Love took over for future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Both Rodgers and Brett Favre won a Super Bowl with the Packers, so Love is under pressure to follow in their footsteps.     

The Packers are 79–46–1 under Matt LaFleur, including regular season and playoff games.  

It will be fascinating to see how Green Bay does in 2026 with Parsons out to start the season and RB Josh Jacobs on the commissioner exempt list.

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