The new schedule for the 2026 season dropped on Thursday and the Vikings are scheduled to open their season at home against the visiting Green Bay Packers. Green Bay, a one-and-done playoff team last season, has lost four of the last five at U.S. Bank Stadium. A starting Jaren Hall in 2023 led to the one outlier result.
Either way, Green Bay is favored to clinch the season opener, but they will likely be without their best player. Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL last season, is not expected to return in time for Week 1.
Adam Schefter offered an update this week. “The feeling within the organization has been that Parsons would miss the early part of the season and be back early on. He’ll be a candidate to be placed on the physically unable to perform list. Three to four games potentially missed.”
Stashed on the physically unable to perform list would rule the pass-rusher out for the first four games of the season. After the bout with the Vikings, the Packers are scheduled to visit the New York Jets, face Kevin Stefanski’s Falcons at home and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road.
In fact, the divisional matchup might be the toughest game on the early-season schedule. Parsons might just return in time for the more challenging stretches of the 17-game slate.
“But again, we’re still four months away from the time the season starts, there’s time for him to recover, time for him to get back,” Schefter added. “But it certainly feels like the tone has been, and the expectation has been that Parsons will miss some time to start the season.”
Parsons, of course, arrived just days ahead of last season’s opener. The Dallas Cowboys didn’t want to pay him, but the Packers did, raising his annual pay to $47 million, while parting with a pair of first-rounders and defender Kenny Clark.
In his first year in Green Bay, the 26-year-old appeared in 14 games and registered 12.5 sacks, 41 tackles, and 12 tackles for loss. He possesses a premier combination of speed and power and has the versatility to line up all over the formation.
Parsons has been a nightmare for Vikings passers in his career. Last year, he tabulated a couple of sacks against J.J. McCarthy. He collected four sacks in three wins over the Vikings in his career.
As he’s set to miss the season opener, the Vikings’ offensive line can breathe a sigh of relief. The Packers don’t have another player nearly as scary on their defensive front.
Wendell Ferreira of A to Z Sports commented, “Micah Parsons is still relatively early in his recovery process. His injury happened exactly five months ago, and the regular season is still four months away. The Packers tend to be cautious with significant injuries, so it’s not a surprise that they’re expecting a longer recovery time.”
The second time Parsons is on Minnesota’s docket is in Week 10, when the Vikings will head to Lambeau Field. That time, the five-time Pro Bowler (in five seasons) is expected to be on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
The Vikings haven’t particularly invested in the offensive line this offseason, betting that health will fix most of the issues. Center Ryan Kelly retired and versatile backup Blake Brandel will take over. Guards Will Fries and Donovan Jackson will both return for a second season with the club.
At tackle, Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw both battled with injuries throughout the 2025 season. The hope is that a full offseason can help Darrisaw return to his Pro Bowl-caliber play.
The Vikings are counting on better health and continuity along the offensive line after a frustrating 2025 season. Avoiding a matchup with Micah Parsons in Week 1 would certainly help that group settle in early.
Of course, Minnesota would gladly take the win regardless of who lines up for Green Bay, but there’s no denying Parsons’ possible absence would be a major development for the season opener.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
