Brian Gutekunst’s optimistic recovery timeline contradicts the star edge rusher’s own cautious outlook, sparking questions about when the injured playmaker will officially return to the field.
The Green Bay Packers placed Micah Parsons on the PUP list to start the season, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the regular season as he recovers from an ACL injury.
The Packers could be without two of their top starts early in the season, with running back Josh Jacobs placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.
On Tuesday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst offered an interesting update on Parsons, saying the defensive end would be "pretty close" to returning once he was eligible to come off of the PUP in Week 5.
"Brian Gutekunst says he feels Micah Parsons will be “pretty close” to returning after his four-game window is up," Matt Schneidman of The Athletic posted on X.
"Practice window can open after Week 2 and Gutekunst figures there will be discussions about Parsons practicing then, perhaps because he’s so eager to return."
Gutekunst's timeline appears to be much more promising than the one Parsons shared last week when he suggested he might not even return by Week 6 when the Packers play the Dallas Cowboys on "Monday Night Football."
Parsons also suggested he wouldn't return to practice until October.
"I think the people really want Week 6. I just want to come back when I'm feeling like myself again. I say Week 6 would be optimistic," Parsons said Bleacher Report's "The Edge" last week.
"The (21-day practice) window opens the first week of October, two, three weeks of practice, but the reality is you gotta feel like yourself, you gotta be moving again. I don't wanna go out there and embarrass myself. That's a real feeling. Packer nation, just know, when I come back, it's going to be up."
The Packers seem to be more optimistic that Parsons will push to return sooner rather than later. Green Bay would obviously be in a much better position to push for the postseason if the defensive end were healthy and ready to play 100 percent in October.
However, there is no guarantee of when Parsons will return at this point, but Gutekunst's comments on Tuesday are more optimistic than previously thought.
