Packers place Micah Parsons on injured reserve to start regular season while pass rusher recovers from ACL tear

Micah Parsons will officially miss the start of the season, with the Green Bay Packers placing their star pass rusher on the injured reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start the year, per ESPN's Adam Schefter .

Parsons, who has been recovering from an ACL tear , will now miss at least the first four games of the season. However, it's more likely that Parsons will be out for longer: The star defender has pointed to an October return multiple times this offseason.

Parsons joined the Packers in a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Cowboys ahead of last season, but his year came to an early end after he tore his ACL in December. Prior to the injury, he put up an All-Pro season with 19 solo tackles, two forced fumbles and 12.5 sacks — a number that still ranked in the top 10 among defensive ends even after missing the end of the season.

After spending the offseason rehabilitating the injury, the five time-Pro Bowler said in June that he had around four months left in his recovery. Parsons started training camp on the PUP list, though his recovery is reportedly on track for a return in Week 6, as the Packers face his former team, the Cowboys.

Parsons told reporters on Aug. 10 that the Week 6 return is "the most optimistic" return date for the defender.

Though his rehab is going to take some time, Parsons vowed earlier this month to return to the field with "anger" once he is back to full recovery.

"When you come out of these situations, you're either gonna be better or you're gonna be worse," Parsons said. "For me, I've done everything I possibly can to be better. … "People are worried about the knee. They should be worried about how I'm gonna play when I get back. The anger, the frustration, things that I'm gonna have to let out because of how long it's been since I played. "I think that's what people should really worry about. How great is Micah gonna be when he gets back?"

"When you come out of these situations, you're either gonna be better or you're gonna be worse," Parsons said. "For me, I've done everything I possibly can to be better. …

"People are worried about the knee. They should be worried about how I'm gonna play when I get back. The anger, the frustration, things that I'm gonna have to let out because of how long it's been since I played.

"I think that's what people should really worry about. How great is Micah gonna be when he gets back?"

The Packers will miss the pass rusher, especially as they start the year with a tough schedule early in the season, facing the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 (which Parsons is guaranteed to miss) and the Chicago Bears in Week 5 (which Parsons is likely to miss).