Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur isn't ruling out a return to practice for edge rusher Micah Parsons as soon as next week. More than 10 months after surgery on his left knee, LaFleur changed the answer he has given for the past month and a half. Previously, his response to the weekly question had always been a quick and hard no. This time he said, "I sure hope so," and acknowledged the answer was different.
LaFleur made clear the decision rests with medical staff. "At the end of the day, that's the medical [decision]," he said. "Yeah, I'm itching [for] it, though, for sure." He added, "I'm saying there's a chance."
Parsons tore the ACL and meniscus in his left knee on Dec. 14 and had surgery two weeks later. He remains on the physically unable to perform list. Once players on PUP return to practice, they have three weeks before they must be added to the roster or placed on injured reserve. Even if Parsons practices next week, it would be highly unlikely he could play in the Week 9 game at the Patriots.
The Packers will not hold regular practices this week because of a Thursday game against the Panthers. After visiting New England on Nov. 8, Green Bay hosts the Vikings in Week 10 and then has its bye in Week 11. That makes it possible the team holds Parsons out of game action until the first post-bye game on Nov. 25 at the Rams.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing