How Packers plan to offset Micah Parsons’ absence despite sad depth chart

The Green Bay Packers have the highest of aspirations heading into the 2026 NFL season. Green Bay though is without defensive star Micah Parsons for now, as he is recovering from surgery. Without Parsons, Green Bay is making changes at how they look to initiate their pass rush.

The Packers and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon are utilizing movement on the defensive line to get opposing offenses off-balance.

“The Packers weren’t yet in full pads when I visited camp, so all optimism should be tempered. But Gannon’s defense was moving, changing front structures and sending blitzes, which confounded the first- and second-team offensive lines,” ESPN reported. “Cornerback Carrington Valentine held up on what would have been a sure negative play when he was sent off the edge. Van Ness had a bear hug would-be tackle at the line of scrimmage, working from an interior gap. Backup nose tackle Jonathan Ford didn’t lose a rep that I saw.”

Gannon is a new addition this offseason to the Packers coaching staff. Green Bay’s head coach Matt LaFleur really likes what he sees in the defensive scheme.

“When we brought him in here [to interview], he blew me away,” LaFleur said of Gannon. “He knows offensive football, he knows situational football. And the thing that impressed me most about him: He’s not stuck in, ‘Oh, this is how we’re going to do it.’ It’s kind of like how we think offensively.”

Packers fans certainly hope these schemes work. Parsons is a huge loss; he posted 12.5 sacks during the 2025 season. He also finished his campaign with 41 total tackles.

Green Bay made the NFL Playoffs in 2025, where they lost to the Chicago Bears.

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