Packers' Micah Parsons Says He's 'Still Ramping Up' Ahead of Week 1 amid Back Injury

Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons says he is "still ramping up" to game speed with just three days to go until Sunday's season opener against the Detroit Lions.

"It's a process of getting ready for football, being out for six months," Parsons said Thursday (h/t The Athletic's Matt Schneidman). "Obviously going through tightness, to soreness.

"But I just got plenty of faith in this great training staff, and the coaches. They're slowly getting me into plays, and getting me things that I need if we decide to give me the green light. It's completely up to the coaches, though."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said on Thursday's episode of NFL GameDay that Parsons is "expected" to play Sunday.

"This is something that, as of right now, he has under control," Rapoport said Sunday. "He has been officially limited in Packers practice, but has had no ill effects of this injury, as far as I can tell based on talking to people involved."

The Packers are set to kick off the 2025 season against the visiting Lions on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

Green Bay acquired Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

Parsons did not participate in Cowboys training camp prior to the trade, which he told reporters was because of tightness in his back rather than a hold-in related to the ongoing dispute over his extension.

He was still limited by the injury when he joined a Packers practice for the first time on Monday, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Parsons was dealing with an "L4/L5 facet joint sprain in his back" and was considering taking an epidural injection ahead of Sunday's game.

The Cowboys had previously been treating Parsons' back injury with physical therapy as well as a five-day treatment of an anti-inflammatory medication, Schefter reported.

Given that the Packers just signed him to a four-year, $188 million extension that is set to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, the team will need to take the 26-year-old's long-term health into consideration when deciding whether he is ready to play Sunday.