The Green Bay Packers welcome the Detroit Lions to Lambeau Field on Sunday for one of the most intriguing matchups of Week 1's NFL schedule. Unfortunately for fans fond of wearing cheese heads, there are already some troubling names popping up on the team's injury report ahead of their NFC North showdown.
The good news for head coach Matt LaFleur and his staff is that none of the injuries listed for the nine names on this week's injury report look like they'll be season enders for the players involved. Most, if not all, should be cleared up within a few weeks if they are treated with an appropriate level of caution.
Then again, the urge to rush any of these players back for the Week 1 showdown with the Lions might cause the Packers' organization to take a riskier approach. Forcing a player back onto the field too soon is a good way to turn a week long absence to something that is better measured in months.
That's why Packers fans should keep a close eye on this week's Injury Report to see which players they should monitor this weekend. The following three injuries deserve the most attention from the team's passionate fan base.
1. Jordan Love's thumb
Green Bay survived an early season injury from their star quarterback last season but that doesn't mean they want to tempt fate for a second consecutive season. Injury disrupted Jordan Love's entire 2024 season and team will want to make sure his left thumb issue doesn't cause him trouble for the full 2025 campaign.
The good news is that this particular injury is on his left hand. In other words, it won't cause Love any trouble throwing the football. The bigger concerns with an off-hand injury for a quarterback come to handling the football and securing it in traffic.
Ultimately, the chances of anyone not named Love starting this Sunday for the Packers are almost non-existant. The team should, however, try to get the ball out of Love's hands earlier to limit the number of hits me might take on that left hand. It's unlikely this ligament injury will plague Love for the full season but it's something Green Bay must keep an eye on against a physical Lions' front.
2. Nate Hobbs' knee
The Packers did not spend a fortune in free agency, but cornerback Nate Hobbs was one of their most expensive acquisitions. The front office targeted him early in the free agency period to come in and replace Jaire Alexander as a starter on the outside at cornerback.
That move was already a risk since Hobbs has mostly played as a slot corner over the past two seasons. The fact that he may not be ready for Week 1 after suffering a knee injury in training camp only makes his transition back to the outside more challenging.
His absence likely will force Green Bay to give converted wide receiver Bo Melton more early work than they would have planned on. He's got the athleticism to grow into a solid player on the outside but he's very short on experience. Expect Detroit to try to test him early and often on Sunday if Hobbs can't find a way to get back on the field for Week 1.
3. Micah Parsons' back
Similar to the situation with Love, all indications point to Micah Parsons being on the field for Sunday's tilt with the Lions. It's still a bit concerning any time such an important player starts to be plagued with back injuries at such a young age.
Bend and force are two things Parsons uses at his disposal to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. Any trouble with his back will severely hamper the flexibility he needs to get around opposing tackles on the edge. The good news is that he likely won't suffer too much in terms of his power and straight-line acceleration.
It's still a big issue for Packers fans to focus on just because of how important Parsons can be for their defense. Coordinator Jeff Hafley deserves a ton of credit for keeping the unit afloat without a No. 1 edge rusher last season. Green Bay swung the trade with Dallas to address their biggest defensive weakness by acquiring an unquestioned superstar.
Parsons is going to be under the microscope for the Packers all season long. That's nothing new for the prodigious sack artist but the back injury might slow him down a bit in the early going. Green Bay fans will breathe a sigh of relief if Parsons can remove his name from the injury list sometime before the midpoint of the 2025 season.