The Green Bay Packers are gearing up to make some noise once the 2025 NFL season gets underway. Last year, they put together a strong 11-win campaign, but bad fortune struck in the form of geography. Sharing the NFC North with two other teams that each posted 14 or more victories left Green Bay just short of the division’s top tier. Sometimes in the NFL, the difference between being a playoff team and staying home really does come down to circumstances outside of your control.
Recognizing how close they are to breaking through, the Packers approached the 2025 offseason with urgency. They were aggressive in free agency, landing cornerback Nate Hobbs and guard Aaron Banks to fill important needs. In a rare move for the franchise, they also invested their first-round draft pick in wide receiver Matthew Golden, signaling a willingness to provide quarterback Jordan Love with more weapons.
Those additions represent clear progress. Still, the question remains: are they enough to push Green Bay from good to great? Over the last several years, the Packers have consistently been competitive but haven’t quite had the firepower to separate themselves from the NFC’s elite.
It feels like the roster is just one impact player away from making a serious leap. A true difference-maker a superstar who can tilt games on his own might be the missing piece that transforms the Packers from a tough opponent into a genuine contender.
If they can make that kind of bold move before Week 1, Green Bay has the potential to emerge as one of the most dangerous teams in the NFC.
Coming up, we’ll take a closer look at one last-minute trade that could help the Packers get over the hump and finally make that push toward championship contention.
The Packers should pay whatever it takes to get Micah Parsons from the Cowboys
Alright, let’s dive into it. The move Green Bay needs to make is a blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons.
Here’s a rough outline of what such a deal could look like:
Packers receive:
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EDGE Micah Parsons
Cowboys receive:
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2026 first-round pick
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2027 first-round pick
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2028 second-round pick
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EDGE Lukas Van Ness
That’s a steep price, but Parsons is the type of player worth breaking the bank for. Elite talents like him almost never become available, and while Dallas would prefer to keep him, the relationship between Parsons and the Cowboys has soured to the point where a split feels inevitable.
Bringing Parsons to Green Bay could completely change the complexion of their defense. He’s the kind of superstar who elevates everyone around him, creating ripple effects that transform a good unit into a dominant one. If the Packers truly believe they’re one piece away from contending, this is the type of swing they need to take.
And it’s not just outside speculation insiders are already connecting the dots. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently suggested on The Pat McAfee Show that Green Bay is one of the teams best positioned to make a serious push for Parsons.
“I would expect the Packers to be among the teams interested really interested,” Rapoport said. “They’ve already paid Jordan Love, they’ve got a strong core of young players, and they still have money to spend. That’s the exact profile of a team that could make this move. Parsons is the kind of guy you pay whatever it takes, because he’s the missing piece. He’s a game-changer.” Rapoport added that Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, would likely command a record-breaking deal, but that it would be worth it for a player of his caliber.
Of course, the challenge isn’t just the draft capital and players Green Bay would have to give up—it’s also the massive contract extension that Parsons will demand. He’s in line to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
The question, then, is simple: would landing Parsons justify such a staggering investment? For a franchise that’s been stuck in the “good, not great” tier, the answer may very well be yes.
Would adding Micah Parsons morph the Packers into a contender?
To begin with, it’s important to acknowledge that the Packers are already a strong football team. They might not be universally seen as a top-tier Super Bowl contender at the moment, but an 11-win season in 2024 is proof that they’re firmly in the mix.
That said, bringing Micah Parsons into the fold could be the move that transforms Green Bay from very good to downright terrifying. His presence has the potential to turn the Packers’ defense into one of the league’s most dominant units.
What makes Parsons so appealing is the way he amplifies everything around him. He’s not just another talented pass rusher he’s the kind of player who can elevate an entire front seven. And it’s worth noting the Packers already have a respectable pass rush. Last year, they finished with 45 sacks, a total that put them in the same company as teams like Tampa Bay, New York (Giants), and Seattle.
Now picture Parsons lining up alongside that group. Even in what some considered a “down year” in 2024, limited to just 13 games, he still recorded 12 sacks and forced a pair of fumbles. Few players in the league can impact games at that level while playing less than a full season.
Parsons also helps in ways that don’t show up directly in box scores. His ability to pressure quarterbacks quickly shortens the amount of time defensive backs have to hold up in coverage. That’s especially significant for the Packers this season, as the secondary looks thinner without Jaire Alexander. Parsons’ presence up front could help mask some of those vulnerabilities.
Of course, acquiring him is easier said than done. The Cowboys may ultimately refuse to deal Parsons this season, even if he’s unhappy, and might simply hang onto him whether he’s playing at his best or not.
That leaves Green Bay with one option: put together the most aggressive and appealing offer possible in hopes of prying him loose. If they’re serious about landing him, there may be no better time than right now to make that push.