The NFC North is one of the toughest divisions in all of football, so the Chicago Bears are likely paying close attention to what's happening with their rivals. And an update from the Packers and Micah Parsons shows how that deal is still causing some headaches for this team.
Matt Schneidman of The Athletic revealed that Parsons is expected to miss the first three to four games of the 2026 season. And even though Schneidman said Parsons expressed this himself at the end of the season, this is just the latest example of how the trade is still hurting Chicago's rival.
Bears Have to Be Enjoying as Micah Parsons Trade Is Hurting the Packers
The Packers gave up a massive haul to acquire Parsons, which included 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, in addition to defensive tackle Kenny Clark. And while things looked good for them at first, it came crashing down once he got hurt in Week 15 against the Broncos.
Following the injury, Green Bay lost five straight games, including to the Bears in the wild-card round. His injury ended Green Bay's shot at a Super Bowl, and it looks like it will trickle into next season as well. The fact that he could miss the first month of the season hurts the Packers when every game matters in the NFC North. It will also take some time for him to get back into form, which pushes things into November/December.
And they don't have a first-round pick over the next two drafts to supplement the roster, which is music to the ears of Bears fans. Chicago is looking for edge rush help, and the latest Myles Garrett update could intrigue them. Yet, they haven't pulled the trigger, and this Parsons move by the Packers falls directly into the cautionary tale of selling high for a star player, then watching things go south.
The Bears found success in the first season of the Ben Johnson era, winning the division. As they look to build on that in 2026, one of their rivals not expected to have its best player for the first month of the season is great news. Every team in the NFC North finished with at least nine wins in 2025, but the Packers will be starting behind the eight-ball. If they start slow, they may not be able to recover and could be playing catch-up to Chicago.
The Packers got 14 games out of Parsons, but not even after one year, they could be without him for up to eight games and potentially more. And the longer he is on the sidelines, the more it benefits a Bears team looking to defend its division title and make a leap to be a bona fide Super Bowl contender. Not having an All-Pro defender on the field hurts no matter who you slice it, and that will impact Green Bay's 2026 season, which is certainly a win for the people in the Windy City.