One Free Agent Who’d Help Fill Role for Packers, Void Without Micah Parsons

With Micah Parsons working his way back from last year’s torn ACL, the Green Bay Packers are short on proven edge defenders.

Micah Parsons had 12.5 sacks in 14 games last season for the Packers. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

It was a surprising news story in that it was a surprise that it was news.

According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, Green Bay Packers star Micah Parsons is a “candidate” to open the season on the physically unable to perform list. Given the timing of his torn ACL and his importance to the franchise, that’s always been a possibility.

Starting on PUP would mean he not only would miss the first four games but couldn’t begin practicing until after those first four games. That would put his status for Week 5 against Chicago and even Week 6 against Dallas in jeopardy.

Whatever the timeline for his return to game action, the Packers are going to be down to only one proven veteran, Lukas Van Ness, on the edge to start the season.

The Packers will start OTAs next week with a depth chart consisting of Van Ness, second-year players Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, rookie fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton and the not-quite Fearsome Foursome of fourth-year players Brenton Cox and Arron Mosby, undrafted rookie Nyjalik Kelly and international player Dante Barnett.

Combined, every one of those players has 15.5 career sacks, led by Van Ness with 8.5 and followed by Cox (5.0), Sorrell (1.5) and Mosby (0.5). Parsons was on pace for 15 sacks last year by himself.

Yeah, that’s a potential problem. Fortunately for general manager Brian Gutekunst, there is plenty of proven talent available with Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney and Cameron Jordan perhaps being the best available.

Potential Packers Fit

One player makes particular sense for the Packers, though.

Haason Reddick had 12.5 sacks for the Cardinals in 2020 and 11 sacks for the Panthers in 2021 before hooking on with the Eagles in 2022. With Jonathan Gannon working his magic as defensive coordinator, Reddick was second-team All-Pro and finished fourth in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting with 16 sacks and five forced fumbles.

With Gannon moving onto Arizona as coach of the Cardinals, Reddick had 11 sacks for the Eagles in 2023. He hasn’t been nearly as impactful the last two seasons, though, with one sack in 10 games for the Jets in 2024 and 2.5 sacks in 13 games for the Buccaneers in 2025.

The Packers pounced on another of Gannon’s former starters, defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, in free agency. Adding Reddick would make sense, whether it’s now or a repeat of June 2021, when they signed linebacker De’Vondre Campbell at the start of minicamp.

Reddick will turn 32 early in the season. The stats show his best days are behind him.

• Sacks: 3.5 in 2024 and 2025 compared to 27.0 in 2021 and 2022.

• Tackles for losses: Eight in 2024 and 2025 after four consecutive seasons with at least 11.

• Quarterback hits: Nine in 2024 and 2025 compared to 26 in 2022 and 23 in 2023.

• Pressures: 60 in 2024 and 2025 compared to 68 in 2022 and 67 in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.  

Weapon of Mass Destruction

Haason Reddick is a free agent after spending last season with the Buccaneers. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

When they were together, Reddick called himself a WMD for Gannon.

“I feel I’m a weapon of mass destruction when it comes to being on the football field,” Reddick said in 2022. “I can do a lot (more) things than a lot of guys. I move differently than a lot of guys. I’m not a typical edge rusher in the way that I rush. I just feel like I’m different than other guys who play the same position around the league.”

Gannon used Reddick to not only make big plays but set up teammates to do the same.

“A weapon. That’s a good quote by him, I think,” Gannon said. “As our overhang players, they’re going to rush the passer to affect the quarterback and they’re going to be violent in the run game and set edges and then they’re going to have to drop a little bit in coverage. 

“He’s obviously very, very smart, very intelligent, high football character, very good skill-set, versatile player, and it’s our job to deploy him and to affect the game, to accentuate his skill-set.”

Maybe Reddick wouldn’t be a lethal weapon now, but his experience in Gannon’s scheme could be enormously important. To Gannon’s point, his edge players will drop into coverage. Reddick has a world of experience in that role.

According to Pro Football Focus, Reddick has dropped into coverage 1,271 times in nine seasons. That includes 86 last year with the Buccaneers.

Without Parsons, the Packers could have a hard time getting after the quarterback. While Reddick’s sack numbers are poor, he ranked a respectable 54th out of 110 edge defenders with at least 150 pass-rushing opportunities in pass-rush win rate last season, according to PFF. Van Ness, who rushed the passer 151 times, was 28th, Rashan Gary, who was traded to Dallas, was 56th, and Kingsley Enagbare, who signed with the Jets, was 75th.

At 240 pounds, he’s got a roughly similar physical skill-set to that of Oliver, who also would fit in that overhang role.

If Gutekunst isn’t satisfied with the development of the young, drafted trio of Sorrell, Oliver and Dennis-Sutton by the end of OTAs, Reddick would be a promising addition in terms of production, versatility  and mentorship.

As Buccaneers GM Jason Licht said last year: “He’s a really unique player. He’s got a lot to prove; he’s very hungry. … He’s going to play to try to get another bite at the apple, which I like. He’s really excited to help the young guys. He’s talked about that – being a leader and all those things. So, that’s always going to help. I’m just excited what he can do for all the young guys.”

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