Packers-Lions Inactives: Latest on Micah Parsons, Nate Hobbs, Jayden Reed

GREEN BAY, Wis. – As expected all week, new Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons will be in the lineup for Sunday’s season-opening showdown against the Detroit Lions.

Parsons has been battling a back injury, but the larger challenge is missing all of training camp and not doing any real football activities until his first practice with the Packers on Monday. Between the lack of football conditioning, his limited reps in Green Bay’s defensive scheme, the injury and a short turnaround to Thursday night’s next showdown against the Washington Commanders, the Packers will play it safe with their premier pass rusher.

These will be Parsons’ first game snaps since had 2.5 sacks against Washington in Dallas’ 2024 finale on Jan. 5.

Parsons was listed as limited participation for the team’s practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Has he looked as explosive as the player he had studied on tape?

“Yeah, absolutely. He’s a freak,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday. “That certainly stands out when he’s out there.”

Parsons was one of seven players who were questionable

CB Nate Hobbs (knee): Inactive. Signed to a four-year, $48 million contract in free agency, Hobbs had knee surgery early in training camp with an eye on returning for this game. That’s not going to happen, though. He didn’t practice on Monday and Wednesday this week and was limited on Thursday and Friday.

With limited practice reps, it was always a long shot that Hobbs would contribute this week, but he made a late push to play.

“Yeah, Nate’s a dog,” LaFleur said on Friday. “He’s a great competitor. That’s why we got him. He’s really worked hard at doing all the little things to put him in this position to potentially play on Sunday.”

WR Jayden Reed (foot): Active. Reed missed the preseason with a foot injury. He practiced last week and on Monday this week. He didn’t practice on Wednesday but was back as limited participation on Thursday and Friday.

Reed, who led the Packers in receptions and yards in each of his first two seasons, called it a “very big game” against the two-time defending NFC North champs.

“I just think momentum is great,” Reed said. “Just to start off strong with this kind of opponent, that’s a great team over there. Just to start off strong, I think that’s very important for momentum for the rest of the season.”

WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf): Active. Wicks missed the preseason with a calf injury but was limited participation at practice all week. With quarterback Jordan Love recovering from surgery on his left thumb and Reed and Wicks missing most of training camp, would the passing attack be able to hit the ground running?

“We’ve been doing a good job,” Love said on Wednesday. “It’s kind of catch-up. (Wicks has) missed a lot of time, missed a lot of practice, but he’s got banked reps. He’s done this before. It’s not like we’re running new stuff, so he’s just got to get back in that mode of being in shape, being conditioned and going out there and attacking these DBs. I missed time, too. You just got to get back in that rhythm, get back in that flow of going out there against other teams because when you’re just doing rehab, things on the side, it’s just not the same.”

WR Savion Williams (hamstring): Active. The third-round rookie missed most of training camp, first with a concussion and later with a hamstring injury. He did not play in the preseason.

S Zayne Anderson (knee): Inactive. Anderson, a key player on special teams, started at safety in the preseason opener but suffered a knee injury early in the game. He practiced all week. Kitan Oladapo will be the final safety on the active roster

DE Barryn Sorrell (knee) Inactive. A fourth-round pick, Sorrell suffered a knee injury while on punt coverage in the second preseason game. He practiced all week but is behind Parsons, Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare and Brenton Cox.

The team’s other inactives are healthy scratches: guard Donovan Jennings, tight end Ben Sims and defensive tackle Warren Brinson. Brinson, a sixth-round pick, is inactive behind undrafted Nazir Stackhouse.

Detroit essentially is at full strength, with none of its starters and key backups on the final injury report.

#DETvsGB inactives presented by Henry Ford Health pic.twitter.com/bExEuGwFFU
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 7, 2025

Third-round draft pick Isaac TeSlaa, an explosive receiver, is active after being limited to start the week due to illness.

“Man, I can't wait,” he said this week. It’s been a dream of mine, obviously, my entire life. Especially, you know, to play in Lambeau. The environment there is just unbelievable. To have that as my first game, I mean, it's really just a dream. A dream come true.”

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