GREEN BAY, Wis. – Micah Parsons is back.

After weeks of speculation about when he’d return to action for the Green Bay Packers, the All-Pro edge defender made his practice debut on Wednesday.

Parsons missed the first eight games of the season and definitely will not play against the New England Patriots on Sunday. After a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, the hope is he’ll make his season debut at the Los Angeles Rams on Thanksgiving Eve.

Parsons was limited to individual drills on Wednesday. That’ll be the case this week before potentially moving him into 11-on-11 work next week.

Parsons appeared to take as many reps as the rest of the edge players during the media viewing window. That includes working on his get-off, bull rush and run-defending technique. He even caught an interception, though the pick required little effort. Perhaps what was most noteworthy was Parsons even stood in as an offensive player to help his defensive teammates work their techniques.

“I think it’s great,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice. “I think it’s been a long time coming and he’s put a lot of effort and work into this. To get him back out there will be a big boost for our team.”

Parsons wasn’t the only player back on the practice field.

Chris Brooks Returns, as Well

Running back Chris Brooks has been designated for return from the ankle injury sustained in Week 4 against Tampa Bay. After the minimum four-game absence, Brooks is back.

Once Brooks is fully back in the flow, the Packers will have a real full-house backfield with Josh Jacobs, Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong and Kaleb Johnson. Johnson has become the obvious odd man out in the backfield the past few weeks and was inactive against Carolina.

Brooks’ niche had been as a third-down pass protector, but he received more opportunities during Jacobs’ absence.

“We’ve been utilizing different guys to try to help in that respect,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said this week. “Pierre has come in and has filled in a little bit with that role and from a protection standpoint, understanding who he has as well as you saw some of the success that he’s had at times on checkdowns, turning 5-yard checkdowns into first downs. So, he’s filled in that role for us a little bit and everybody has.”

Four Players Did Not Practice

With the Packers coming off an extended break after beating Carolina on Thursday, four players did not practice:

Linebacker Zaire Franklin “is making a lot of progress,” LaFleur said, but he did not practice due to the shin injury sustained at practice before the game against Detroit. Franklin missed the last two games.

“Hopeful sooner than later,” LaFleur said.

Center Sean Rhyan remains sidelined by the high-ankle sprain sustained during the opening series at Detroit. John Williams started the last two games.

Right guard Travis Glover remains sidelined by the knee injury that he played through against Detroit. Laken Tomlinson started against Carolina.

Tight end Josh Whyle suffered a concussion against Carolina.

Micah Parsons a ‘Dominant Force’

The Packers probably feel good about being 5-3 without their superstar defender. In fact, their defense is just about the same without Parsons this season as it was last season.

“He’s a generational talent,” LaFleur said. “He definitely flips the favor of the field into your court in regards to his ability to win his one on ones and I think like we saw a year ago, the thing that impressed me most about him was his impact in the run game as well. So he’s a dominant force.”

The Packers are 12th in the league in sack percentage without Parsons even though they have no players in the top 15 in sacks and only one in the top 44. With defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon taking a committee approach to rushing the passer, they have league highs of 11 players with at least one sack and 13 players with at least a half-sack.

“I think the guys up front have been doing a nice job, and I think JG’s been aggressive at times and has put some of our guys in some pretty good matchups or getting free runners,” LaFleur said. “So, I would say it’s a combination of everything, just the scheme and then our guys being able to go out there and win.”

While Parsons is being eased into things with individual drills this week and perhaps team drills next week, he’s not being eased into things from a tempo perspective. Parsons is cleared, so it’s go time.

This will be a big stretch for him to gain additional confidence in the knee.

“I think you trust it by the work you put in during the 9- to 10-month extensive process that you have,” Parsons said during training camp.

Parsons missed the stretch run to last season, with his injury being the pivotal moment that turned a 9-3-1 start into a five-game losing streak. Now, Parsons – who had been the team’s closer in games last season – will be back for the closing stretch of games.

“I think it’s a reason why I got brought here, right? I got brought here to win big-time games and close games and do what I do when there’s a lead,” he said during camp. “I feel fully confident if Jordan Love gives me 21 points, I can get to the quarterback because he has to hold the ball. That’s where my biggest impact on the game can come into place. But in a position I am now, that’s why it’s in my power and my ability to help these guys understand finishing and understand that you got to hold this standard of what it means to finish.”

Today's the day that could change everything for the Packers, with Micah Parsons returning to practice to add firepower to "savant" Jonathan Gannon's defense. ⬇️https://t.co/3UXWdNipAs

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 4, 2026