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Well, when the NFL season kicks off this fall, it appears the Green Bay Packers will be without elite edge rusher Michael Parsons for at least the first four games of the season. The five-time Pro Bowler said Wednesday he's exactly 5 months into his rehab from surgery from a torn ACL. He suffered the season ending injury in week 15 last season. Just after that, the Packers went on to drop five straight games, including a playoff game to rival Chicago. Parsons added that since his injury has a strict 9-month recovery plan, he remains four months shy of returning to action. And based on that timeline, he's likely to begin the season on the physically unable to perform list. That means that
he can return after week four. And we now say hello to CBS Sports NFL analyst Brian McFad. And so BMAC, it appears the Packers are going to be without all everything edge rusher Micah Parsons as the year begins. He's such a key cog in a defense that fell apart without him last season. So, how big a deal could his absence be to start the season? Well, if we go back to a year ago when he actually injured his ACL, we saw a major decline defensively in terms of pressure, getting sacks, and overall just being a really, really good def defensive unit. So, if we look at the issues they had with Parsons out of the lineup, and now you f you factor in to your point, potentially he could miss the first four ball games. Best case
scenario, I don't know. It's a wait andsee approach because if you look at his partner in crime a year ago when he became a part of the Green Bay Packers was Rashawn Garry, a guy with an abundance of experience in the National Football League, especially there within the Green Bay Packers organization. But Coley, he's no longer there. So now it puts more pressure on Lucas Vaness, right? A former first round selection who dealt with injuries a year ago. Now it's up to him to deliver and deliver in a consistent way, especially without number one in the lineup. And then potentially you could get some production or you need to get some production from rookie deny Dennis Sutton, former Penn State uh Nitney Lion
as well. So it has to be a committee type of call in terms of multiple guys trying to go up and live up to the building while Michael Parsons is out of the lineup. But then you look at their schedule. I mean, when you're playing in the NFC North, every game is meaningful, especially to start the season off. So, you look at the potential first four ball games, worst case scenario without Michael Parsons in the lineup, two and two has to be the worst case scenario, right? You cannot be one and three, especially in that division because if you get off to a slow start, good luck in trying to play catch-up when you look at some of the other playoff caliber teams they have in the NFC North.
Yeah. Now, just how big a hole are the Packers trying to fill? Check this out. Parsons had the league's third highest pressure rate on pass rushes last season. So, he's certainly a key weapon. You need him to try to go at least two and two, as you said, BMAC, and not any uh any less than that. Uh let's stay with pass rushers. Cleveland's new man off the edge. Well, Jared Verse, he was in Browns camp on Wednesday, just two days after he was traded from the Rams for another all everything pass rush specialist in Miles Garrett. Now, Verse was adamant in saying that he's not in Cleveland to fill Garrett's massive shoes. So, what will his impact actually
look like for the Browns BMAC? Well, I can tell you this much. Jared Verse, no, he is not Miles Garrett, but he is a heck of a defensive player, right? If you look at what he's done in his first two years in the National Football League, co rookie campaign, he was the defensive rookie of the year that year. when you look at what he did that rookie year, four and a half sacks, forced two fumbles, but he was ultra impactful in terms of putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. And then year two, he improved. Seven and a half sacks, uh, three forced fumbles, and you talked about that pressure rate in the National Football League that Michael Parsons was in that top three.
Guess who else was in the top three? Jared Verse along with Miles Garrett. So, he had 99 pressures a year ago. So what he did between year 1 and year two, he improved dramatically. And I understand when you talk about the expectations being a part of a championship caliber team now going to the Cleveland Browns, clearly you have to feel some type of way. But for Jared Verse, he loves the game of football. So when you look at the increase in production from year one to year two, I expect to see a similar like increase in year three for Jared Verse. when you talk about potentially being a double-digit sack season guy for the Cleveland Browns and they will need that because if you look at what Miles
Garrett did last year 20 plus sacks clearly if you Jared Versie would love to get to that number but just improving like you've done in the first two years I think will help the defense out uh dramatically. Yeah, double digit sacks are very much key but 20 oh my gosh that's that's definitely not happening. We might not ever see that happen again in the league. By the way, guess how many Pro Bowls Jared Vers has been to? He's been in the league for two years. He's been to two Pro Bowls. So, he still is going to be a very good uh player off that edge for the Browns. So, uh I want to stick now to uh or go now, I should say, down to New Orleans and take a look
at the Saints running back Alvin Kamar. He was a surprise attendee at voluntary OTAAS for uh for the Saints on Wednesday. Even head coach Kell Moore said he wasn't expecting to see Chimera. Uh there's been some speculation that if the Saints try to move him this off seasonason that he'll just retire. He wants to end his career as a Saint. So, if indeed he's back in black and gold, how good can this New Orleans offense be with Alvin back? Well, number one, before I answer your question, Coley, if I'm a part of the new H New Orleans Saints, right, if I'm a part of the Saints organization, I don't want to move Alvin Kamara. I don't And we know when you tra when
you gave Travis Han that nice deal. He is RB1. No question. But if you're telling me your backup is Alvin Kamara, yes, I love that duo of running backs. And with him in the lineup, I believe this offense can be extremely scary when you factor in year two and a major step for Tyler Shuck at the quarterback position. But here's why I think this offense can be scary. When you talk about the personnel right there in your graphics, right, when you look at Tyler Shuck, what he did last year, did more with less. Uh, one would think he will continue to improve. You talk about Travis Achan there, what he did last year, over a,000 yards, 13 total touchdowns for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
When you look at Chris Olive, when he's healthy, Coley, he is a,000 plus yard receiver per year, right? The real major question mark, Jordan Tyson and his health. if he can stay healthy. When you look at the big three in the passing game, right, Jordan Tyson, Chris Olive, and oh, by the way, Jawan Johnson, Coley, did you know Jawan Johnson was top three amongst all tight ends in tight end receiving yards a year ago? Over 800 yards. He was top three quietly. He had a heck of a year quietly. So now he goes into this season with an abundance of confidence. And don't forget the high invested players they have on the offensive line. Three former first round selections on the
offensive line. So they should be much improved this year. So the personnel is there co in a very winnable division in the NFC South. That's why I think this offense could be very scary especially if they keep Alvin Kamar in New Orleans. Yeah. Now, as a native Atlantan, hearing the word scary associated with the Saints, that's not something that Atlantans like to hear like me, but very good news for the Saints if indeed that does happen that Chimera stays in black and gold. Another playmaker that we want to talk about who's in camp and he's also in familiar threads in this situation. That's Odell Beckham Jr. He was with the Giants on Wednesday and he spoke to reporters about leaving the
Giants in the first place and he said, quote, "The way that I had to walk away, it was unsettling in my soul. I have to do this. This is for myself. This is for my son. I want him to be able to see who I am, not who I was and know that we never give up in our house. You go after what you believe in. I really, really, really love that message to his son, uh, BMAC. What would you like to see from Odell Beckham this summer? Staying healthy. That's it. Just staying healthy. Because at this stage in his career, do I expect to see the OBJ that we saw in his first three seasons in New York? No. I think that part of his career is long gone. But can he give them a spark
offensively? Yes. But the only way that happens, Coley, is if he is healthy. The last time we saw OBJ in the NFL, you got to go back to 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, he played in nine games. He had nine recepts, nine receptions for 55 yards. That's not OB OBJ, right? So now, when you factor in all the hurdles he's been dealing with injury-wise, he's never been able to get back to being that elite like wide receiver. The last time we saw some flashes of those elite like traits was the Super Bowl run that he was a part of that he actually got hurt in the Super Bowl game. And you remember how he started that game off it was like wow OBJ has an opportunity to potentially be the Super Bowl MVP if the
Rams won. Well, they won but they did not win with a healthy OBJ. So that's all I want to see from OBJ. He has an opportunity, right? Every day we wake up, we got a chance and a choice. What do you do with that chance and a choice? And we're watching OBJ now. He only can control the things that he can control. When it comes to the game of football, injuries happen sometimes. So hopefully he has a clean bill of health the entire summer to get ready for the season because one thing that we're starting to learn about the New York Football Giants. They need wide receivers. When you look at the wide receiver moves as of late, that tells all of us they need to improve their room. Well, OBJ, you
have the opportunity. That opportunity will only be cashed in if he's healthy. You basically said, "We wake up, we win." That's a word from you, BMAC. We just had a word from OBJ. We're just getting all kind of praiser here tonight. I love this. Um, all right. Let's go from one cover athlete to another. EA Sports announced on Wednesday that Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is going to grace the cover of Madden 27 when it's released later this summer. So, of course, Madden 13 for OBJ, Madden 27 for Caleb Williams. I know you're a big video game guy, BMAC. How are you feeling about this? Yeah, I'm a big video game. Back in my younger days, I was the Madden king.
Oh, I was the guy. If you had an issue with someone playing Madden in the neighborhood, I was the guy they called when I got drafted to Pittsburgh. Every summer, remember Madden usually comes out during training camp. We have our Madden tournaments. I was the guy. They were like, "Hey, man. Matt, let's go get in the Madden tournament. Guess who wins? Be Matt." So, yes, I'm very, very excited to hear the news with Caleb. Welld deserved, right? Uh the first Chicago Bears player to ever grace the cover of Madden. So, he's making history by doing so along with potentially having the coldest Madden cover ever. He's got in terms of he got That's what I'm
saying. And both they're the coldest. You see what I did there, Coley? Coldest. Right. Both covers might be the coldest we've ever seen. One paying homage to my goat. I don't know who your goat is, but my goat is Michael Jordan. The second one posing. We saw this pose multiple times after throwing outstanding touchdowns. Right. Listen, man. I understand Drake just dropped the Iceman album, but shouts out to the Iceman in Chicago, man, because he was dropping Glaciers a year ago with his outstanding highlights that he was providing. And this should be a very, very entertaining year. And this is a great way to kind of get that appetizer of entertainment going for the Chicago Bears with Caleb gracing the cover of Madden 27.
Yeah. Oh man, I'm looking forward to seeing that game. You know, Madden04 is still the goat of all sports video games. Mike Vic getting him running around. Uh, we'll see if Caleb Williams is not just running, but throwing in this game as well. BMAC, thanks so much for the insight, my man. That's Brian McFaden, everybody. A quick look at the shortest odds to win the NFL MVP. See Josh Allen right on this list. Let's see. Where's Caleb Williams? He's at plus,500. Of course, these odds are subject to change.
