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Micah Parsons Predicts NFC North Standings Ahead of Packers Season
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. The Green Bay Packers ' Micah Parsons is continuing his recovery from last year's devastating injury, which sidelined him for the rest of his team's regular season and their brief appearance in the playoffs.
There is hope the Pro Bowl linebacker will return by Week 6. There's even a possibility of his return happening a week sooner, which would put him back on the field in October for the Packers' game against their NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears .
As the preseason is underway, Parsons appeared in a new Bleacher Report video where he went division-by-division around the NFL and gave his predictions for how each of them will play out this season.
For the NFC North, he had no qualms whatsoever about placing his team as this year's division winner. Parsons said there's "nothing to be understood or misunderstood" about that pick, calling Green Bay the No. 1 team for 12 weeks last season.
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"Do we have to finish? Yes, we do. We're gonna get everyone back healthy. We're gonna be back on the field. We got young guys that's gonna step up. We got Zaire Franklin. He's legit. He's a dog. Big Cowboy Coop [Edgerrin Cooper] is gonna step up this year, and to be honest, we got the best safety duo in the National Football League," he said, praising his team's defense.
"We have young guys that's ready to play all over the field, good football, and yes, I will be back, and we will be ready to dominate," Parsons said.
The five-time Pro Bowler was among several NFL players suffering a torn ACL last season. His injury occurred in Week 15 as a non-contact injury while rushing on Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.
As of this writing, Parsons has maintained that his return will happen by Week 6. That would mean he is on the field to face his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, in a primetime matchup at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Oct. 18.
Meanwhile, it's worth noting that Parsons didn't hesitate to give high praise to the Packers' rivals, the Chicago Bears. He predicted they would finish second in the NFC North, followed by the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
"I think Chicago has established themselves as a legit team in this league. Can Caleb Williams do it again? The great ones can do it over again and over again and over again," he said, also predicting that Coleston Loveland would be a "top five tight end by the end of the season."
"Can they do it? We don't know. ... I'm gonna give them the grace to do it," he shared.
Parsons is pretty new to the Packers, having joined them via last August's trade from the Dallas Cowboys. Since his arrival to Green Bay, he's shown a lot of admiration and respect for Williams and the Bears, who emerged as a true contender in the division last year.
Chicago's defense still remains its biggest liability, but head coach Ben Johnson has shown a strong belief in his players that's helped them achieve improbable comeback wins. They may have grown from last season's experiences into a team that knows how to win games in many different situations.
Parson's Green Bay Packers look to get their regular season started with a win on Sunday, Sept. 13, with a visit to the Minnesota Vikings.
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