There’s always talk at this time of year about what has to happen for the Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl.
But with the Packers’ trade for Micah Parsons, it’s understandable why more Las Vegas money is on them to be one of the last two teams playing football in February.
A tougher schedule that features AFC North opponents instead of AFC South opponents gives the Packers nine games against 2024 playoff teams, so that’s probably slowed their rise in the preseason rankings. But the Super Bowl buzz has cetainly gotten louder, even with Parsons and Jordan Love recovering from injuries.
Here’s where the Packers sit among NFL teams before they kick off the season Sept. 7 against the Detroit Lions:
Bleacher Report: No. 7
The trade for Parsons has not only raises the stakes, but it’s also put the added burden of winning immediately on his teammates, Gary Davenport writes:
“Some might say awarding the Lombardi Trophy now is fair with Parsons in Green Bay — but jokes aside, his arrival is a massive boost to the pass rush.
“The addition of Parsons was a massive get for a Packers team that had a weakness in its pass rush. Green Bay had a respectable 45 sacks in 2024, but the team struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
“The flip side of that addition is that it ratchets up the pressure on the rest of the Packers team. Expectations have gone from winning the NFC North to winning it all.
“And with the Lions on tap in Week 1 followed by a Thursday night date with the Commanders, a slow start will not be welcomed.”
ESPN: No. 10
Mike Clay isn’t talking Super Bowl, but notes that the Packers’ offseason moves improve their chances of a successful season with a tougher schedule:
“The Packers are solid on both sides of the ball, and the offense could be even better with improved targets, including first-round receiver Matthew Golden, and a fully healthy QB in Jordan Love. The blockbuster trade for Parsons revamps their defensive line and could be enough to cement Green Bay as a playoff contender.”
NFL.com: No. 6
Eric Edholm is among those making Reggie White comparisons after the blockbuster move for Parsons. It’s hard to argue with the impact Parsons has a chance to make, since he’s averaged over 13 sacks a season in his four NFL seasons:
“I was on Wisconsin radio this summer, and when they asked me about the Packers’ roster, I told them I liked it, that there was a good distribution of talent, but that it lacked true blue-chip players. Trading for Parsons on the eve of the season is a pretty good way to shut me up. And after the team just drafted a first-round receiver in Green Bay? These are some very uncharacteristic moves for this franchise that have the feel of a confident front office. You make moves such as these when the picture is nearing completion — and when the competition is thickest, as it is in the NFC North. And boy, that puts the target squarely on Jordan Love. But it’s hard not to love what Green Bay has suddenly assembled if a few things come together. Losing Kenny Clark is tough, but Parsons is a singular defender who will elevate the team, possibly even in Reggie White-like fashion, as long as his back injury doesn’t become a problem.”
USA TODAY: No. 4
While the Packers are suddenly a trendy pick to get another Lombardi Trophy after adding Parsons, Nate Davis is willing to let previous doubthers back on the bandwagons:
“Some of the sager members of the NFL media corps had already picked them as the NFC’s Super Bowl 60 entry … not that anyone, cough, is looking for credit. But with Parsons now coming aboard in the kind of deal Pack fans rarely enjoy? Better buy another bandwagon. Or two.”
Yahoo Sports: No. 7
The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are still the NFC favorites, but Parsons’ arival in Green Bay makes that job harder, according to Brandon Lee Gowton:
“The Packers have the youngest roster in the NFL. There’s reason to believe they’re getting better, especially after trading for Parsons. Looking like the top threat to the Birds in the NFC.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where do Green Bay Packers land in NFL power rankings after Micah Parsons trade?
Reporting by Emmett Prosser, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
