BREAKING: Packers Tried to Trade for Another Star Pass Rusher Before Micah Parsons: Insider
The Green Bay Packers will kick off the 2025 campaign with a highly anticipated matchup against the Detroit Lions in Week 1, and the vibes surrounding the team are quite high. After picking up Micah Parsons in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys right before the start of the season, the Packers are believed to be one of the top Super Bowl contenders across the league.
There’s no doubt that the addition of Parsons will take Green Bay’s defense to another level this year, even as he battles a back injury that will reportedly limit his impact in the team’s season-opener on Sunday. According to a recent report, though, Parsons may not have been the Packers’ initial trade target, as the team also made a push for Cincinnati Bengals superstar defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
Packers Pursued Trey Hendrickson Trade Before Landing Micah Parsons
Over the offseason, both Parsons and Hendrickson made it clear they were looking for contract extensions from the Cowboys and Bengals, respectively. It took a while, but both guys eventually got what they wanted. Cincinnati restructured Hendrickson’s deal to give him a $14 million raise for the 2025 season, while Parsons put pen to paper on a four-year, $186 million contract after landing with the Packers.
While Hendrickson stayed put and Parsons got traded, for much of the offseason, it appeared that Hendrickson was more likely to get traded than Parsons. After handing star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins new contracts earlier this offseason, the Bengals did not have much cap space at their disposal. Plus, the Cowboys seemed to be making progress with Parsons on a new deal for much of the offseason.
Instead, Dallas opted to grant Parsons his trade request, with the Packers happily sending a pair of first-round picks and veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark the other way. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, though, Green Bay initially pursued a trade for Hendrickson before landing Parsons.
“The Packers first set their sights on a trade for Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, sources say, before they pulled off the blockbuster trade of the offseason when they acquired star Micah Parsons from the Cowboys,” Rapoport reported. “The Packers are among the teams that called and engaged the most with Cincinnati on a potential trade for Hendrickson this offseason, with an initial offer made for last season’s sack leader.”
Should the Packers Have Traded for Trey Hendrickson Instead of Micah Parsons?
GettyGreen Bay Packers edge rusher, Micah Parsons
Hendrickson has racked up 17.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, making him one of the most productive players at his position in the league. When considering Parsons’ production (52.5 sacks in his first four pro seasons) and the fact that he is only 26 years old, it’s clear he’s a much more desirable player than Hendrickson, who will turn 31 in December.
Both guys are great, but there’s no doubt that the Packers are thrilled to have Parsons on board and locked up for the long-term future. While Parsons is questionable for Green Bay’s Week 1 opener due to his aforementioned back injury, he’s expected to play, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make an immediate impact for his new squad right out of the gate.
Vikings Pro Bowler Poised to Miss Bears Opener
Vikings veteran safety Harrison Smith is hoping to play Monday against the Bears.
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith has been dealing with an undisclosed illness for most of the summer and appears poised to be out for the season opener against the Chicago Bears.
Smith, 36, embarks on his 14th and potentially final NFL season with the Vikings after agreeing to a restructured contract in the offseason. However, he has been largely absent from practice all summer due to a “personal health issue.”
While Smith practiced Saturday, September 6, for the first time since August 11, he was listed as doubtful on the Vikings’ final injury report.
“He almost certainly needs more practice and conditioning work before he is ready to play in a game,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote.
Smith is expected to make a full recovery and is not likely to miss significant time. Still, it appears fourth-year safety Theo Jackson will be stepping into a larger role alongside Josh Metellus.
If only replacing Smith were that easy.
Brian Flores Breaks Silence on Potentially Missing Vikings S Harrison Smith
In his Thursday news conference, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores admitted that Smith’s role isn’t quite a one-to-one replacement for Jackson.
“I would say it’s certainly unique to him,” Flores said of Smith’s spot in the defense. “Not to say that we don’t have other highly intelligent, high football IQ guys. Metellus is a guy who comes to mind that plays a lot of different positions. So if we put him in Harry’s [spot], I think he could do that, but [Harrison] is all over the place… There’s a lot of reasons why it’s unique to him, obviously 14 years in the league playing at a high level and just high-level acumen.”
Head coach Kevin O’Connell tempered expectations going into the week, and although Smith has taken steps toward returning, the doubtful designation suggests he most likely will not play in the opener.
“The hope is we can ramp him up,” O’Connell said. “He’s back in the building and meetings and building up his workload for the week. We’ll see where he’s at throughout the remainder of the week.”
Christian Darrisaw Questionable for MNF vs. Bears
Another pressing injury concern going into Monday night is Christian Darrisaw‘s status.
Darrisaw, coming back from an ACL/MCL tear in late October 2024, has been ahead of schedule in his rehab all offseason.
His availability in Week 1 was still a long shot, but it appears in play, according to O’Connell.
“I can’t say enough about the work he’s put in and to have the type of camp he’s had to even have it where Christian and I can make a decision, what’s in Christian’s best interest, but also understanding this guy’s done everything in his power to give himself an opportunity to have that conversation,” O’Connell said on Saturday. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. … Christian Darrisaw is a major foundational player for us been really happy with my dialogue with him this whole time.”
Running back Zavier Scott (ankle) and defensive tackle Elijah Williams (hamstring) were ruled out for the game.
The Bears have questionable tags on cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (calf/groin) and Josh Blackwell (groin) and running back Roschon Johnson (foot). Linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) is listed as doubtful.
Brock Bowers Delivers Reassuring Injury Update – “I’m Back and Ready to Lead the Raiders!”
In a heart-stopping moment that left Las Vegas Raiders fans holding their breath, star tight end Brock Bowers has delivered a reassuring update after a concerning knee scare. The young playmaker, who has quickly established himself as a key weapon in the Raiders’ offense, was feared to have suffered a significant injury, but Bowers has confirmed that he is ready to return and continue his dominant play.
“I’m back, and I’m ready to dominate,” Bowers said with confidence in his post-practice interview. “The knee scare was just that—a scare. I’m feeling good and ready to contribute to this team in a big way. I’ve got no doubts I’ll be at full strength when we need it most.”
The injury, which initially raised alarm bells across Raiders Nation, appears to have been less serious than originally feared, but the scare nonetheless served as a wake-up call for Bowers and the team. The 49ers’ top tight end has quickly become an essential part of the offense, and the thought of losing him for an extended period would have been a huge blow for Las Vegas.
“This is huge for us,” said head coach Josh McDaniels. “Brock is one of the pillars of our offense. He’s a special player, and it’s a relief to hear that he’s ready to go. We’ll be depending on him in the coming games, and we know he’ll deliver.”
Bowers’ leadership and versatility have made him an integral piece of the Raiders’ plans for 2025. With a dangerous combination of size, speed, and route-running ability, he’s been the safety net quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo needs. Now that he’s cleared to play, the Raiders are more dangerous than ever, with Bowers ready to help push them toward a playoff run.
“Like I said, I’m ready to lead this team,” Bowers reiterated. “We’ve got big goals, and I’m here to help us reach them. This injury scare is behind me, and I’m focused on what’s ahead.”
As Bowers rejoins the Raiders for their next game, fans are breathing a collective sigh of relief. With the season heating up, the Raiders now have their star tight end back in action, and Bowers is ready to make sure the team remains a serious contender in the AFC.
Buccaneers LB Lavonte David Calls Out SirVocea Dennis After Win Over Falcons
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers grinded out a narrow 23-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons to open the 2025 campaign on Sunday, and while winning is always nice, there are some issues that the team has to clean up moving forward. Right after the game, star linebacker Lavonte David made that extremely with some pointed comments towards his partner in crime, SirVocea Dennis.
The Buccaneers paired David up alongside Dennis as their two starting inside linebackers this season, but Dennis struggled throughout this clash against the Falcons and even got benched at one point. While Dennis bounced back and returned to the field, David did not hold back when discussing his Week 1 performance.
Lavonte David Doesn’t Hold Back on SirVocea Dennis
David has been in the NFL since he was selected by the Bucs in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and he’s seen pretty much everything you can imagine as he enters the 14th season of his career. David earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and three All-Pro honors throughout his career, while also helping Tampa Bay take down the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Dennis, on the other hand, is an inexperienced 2023 fifth-round pick who made only his first start of his career against the Falcons. He got outclassed by Atlanta’s star running back Bijan Robinson on a few occasions, and at one point in the game, he got replaced by Deion Jones due to his struggles.
Later in the game, Dennis returned to the field and performed better, but the Buccaneers are going to need more from him if he’s going to hold onto a starting job alongside David. After the game, David called out Dennis for his struggles, while also praising his resilience and his ability to bounce back later in the game.
“He gotta get his a** going,” David bluntly said after the game. “He ain’t got no time to wait. You gotta come out there ready to go. He had some tough times, it’s one game. But I know for a fact he’s gonna be better, and he came back the very next play in the second half, stuffed the fullback and made the play. I expect nothing less out of Voc, he’s just gotta get his feet under him a little bit.”
Buccaneers Turn Attention to Week 2 Matchup vs. Texans
It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, but Dennis managed to recover and rack up 10 tackles, one of which went for a loss, and one pass deflection. There is certainly stuff he can build off of from this performance, and that’s what David is going to be working on ensuring happens after this big win to open the season.
The Buccaneers will hit the practice field this week and begin preparing for their Week 2 matchup, which will be against a tough Houston Texans team. While they only racked up three field goals in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams, the Texans have several explosive playmakers at their disposal. It will be up to David, Dennis, and the rest of the defense to slow them when they meet up on Monday Night Football in Week 2.
