Micah Parsons Injury Update: Matt LaFleur Hopes Packers Star Can Practice Next Week

Matt LaFleur Opens Door To Micah Parsons Practice Return© Instagram

Matt LaFleur finally had something other than a firm no when asked about Micah Parsons returning to practice.

“I sure hope so,” the Packers coach said Tuesday.

Parsons has missed Green Bay's first seven games while recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last December. He will miss Thursday's meeting with Carolina as well, but LaFleur left open the possibility of getting his star pass rusher back on the practice field next week. Medical clearance still comes first. Asked again about the possibility, LaFleur added: “I'm saying there's a chance.”

Packers Schedule Leaves Room To Build Up After Thursday

Green Bay is preparing for the Panthers with walkthroughs during a short week. After Thursday, the schedule gives the Packers a longer break before their November 8 visit to New England.

That could provide a more useful stretch of practice for Parsons, who remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Once the Packers open his window, they will have 21 days to activate him or leave him on the list for the rest of the season.A practice return next week would not necessarily put him on the field against the Patriots. Packers Wire's Zach Kruse pointed to the Week 10 meeting with Minnesota or, more likely, the Week 12 trip to face the Rams as possible return points.

Green Bay has its bye in Week 11. None of those games has been announced as Parsons' comeback date.The change Tuesday was in LaFleur's answer, after previous questions about a practice return had brought much less encouragement.

Parsons' First Green Bay Season Set A High Standard

Parsons tore his ACL against Denver on December 14, ending a first Packers season that had delivered the disruption Green Bay wanted when it acquired him from Dallas.

He finished with 12.5 sacks in 14 appearances. The Packers credited him with 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits when they placed him on injured reserve that December.Even with three games missed, he led the team in sacks. He also became the first player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to record at least 12 in each of his first five NFL seasons.This year, Green Bay has managed 16 sacks through seven games. Its pass defense ranks ninth at 208 yards allowed per game, but the Packers are 4-3 after Sunday's 20-17 defeat in Detroit.

They face Carolina without Parsons before turning their attention to a week of rehabilitation and, potentially, his first practices of the season.