Dan Campbell does not mince words. Following a preseason where the Detroit Lions stumbled to a 1-3 record and were outscored by 46 points. The head coach accepted that the performances left him worried. “The practices look really good, but all four of these games have not been good,” Campbell said. Pointing out that while most starters did not play, the sloppy play was hard to ignore. However, Campbell feels the work on the practice field was a sign of a better team than the preseason scoreboard indicated. And the Lions get to prove it when the actual games start. But even with that chance on the horizon, Detroit still has things that it needs to figure out. The headache resonated louder when Green Bay shook the whole NFC North upside down.

The Packers made a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys for Micah Parsons. That move echoed throughout the division, and no place feels it more than Detroit. The Lions are working on a long-term deal with their young pass rusher, Aidan Hutchinson. For Campbell and the team, that’s double trouble. First, Parsons in Green Bay translates to dealing with one of the league’s biggest defensive disruptors two times a season. Second, the contract ‘blew the doors off the market,’ raising the price tag Hutchinson’s camp will be asking for. What was already a contentious negotiation just became more costly. And to add more complexity, there were rumors earlier in the month about the Lions being interested in Micah. Although a deal was always out of question because of the price tag and the Lions’ commitment to Hutchinson.

The consequences hit hard. The Lions had every intention of making Hutchinson the face of their defense for years to come. But Parsons’ $188 million deal will almost certainly reset expectations. If Hutchinson’s agent glances over to the NFC North and sees Parsons’ contract, the message is clear: Detroit must pay up if they want their own cornerstone secured. Campbell can be sure that his team’s work ethic is strong, but the economic pressure of the marketplace is a war no head coach can escape.

The Lions will begin their 2025 season in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, and the matchup just got a lot tougher. Micah Parsons makes all the difference. The three-time All-Pro is an annual Defensive Player of the Year contender. And now he faces Rashan Gary opposite him to create one of the NFL’s most dreaded pass-rushing alliances. For Detroit, whose identity is built around offensive line dominance, that’s a daunting way to start the year. Taylor Decker, the seasoned left tackle, will have to slow Parsons this year. At 32 and coming off surgery during the offseason, Decker is still solid, but holding back a force like Parsons is not an easy task.

Historically, the Packers have been the better team in this rivalry, taking the all-time series 106-78-7. But recent times have been a bit different. In the past decade, the Lions have really gone 11-9 against Green Bay (since 2015). Campbell’s team has been a part of that turnaround, showing that the gap isn’t as big as the historic numbers make it seem.

Packers’ $188M Micah Parsons move

The Packers’ risk wasn’t merely about acquiring talent. It was about redefining the balance of power in the NFC. Green Bay traded Dallas two first-rounders and defensive tackle Kenny Clark for Parsons, then did not hesitate to lock him into the richest contract ever for a non-quarterback: $62 million in the first year, $120 million fully guaranteed, and $136 million guaranteed overall. It concluded a messy saga that started when Parsons asked to be traded on August 1 after extension negotiations with Dallas fell through.

For months, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones maintained he would not trade his defensive star. Parsons reported to camp but never practiced. With frustrations building, rumors about trade suitors circulated. Detroit’s name even circulated in speculative rumors, considering their improving direction and requirement for a further defensive playmaker. But the truth was always that only a deep-asset team with an attacking front office would take the plunge. The Packers did it and, in doing so, gave themselves a headliner who could redefine their defense.

Parsons is joining a team that went 11-6 last season before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card game. Green Bay had been searching for consistency opposite Gary, relying on former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness, who has only produced seven sacks and 38 pressures, per PFF, across his first two seasons. Parsons instantly upgrades that weakness into a strength. Last year alone, despite playing just 13 games, he registered 12 sacks and 70 pressures.