Sources: Parsons may get back injection to play

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- New Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons has been dealing with an L4/L5 facet joint sprain in his back and he may receive an injection before Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions if needed to help him play, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

Before trading Parsons last week, the Dallas Cowboys prescribed him a five-day course of prednisone, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid to help him recover from back tightness. They also had him on a physical therapy program.

Parsons practiced with the Packers on Monday for the first time and according to several players at practice, he was a limited participant.

More clips from Micah Parsons' first day on the field in Green Bay, beginning with a little chat with his Penn State teammate Rasheed Walker. pic.twitter.com/ZqiMfc9Eg9

Parsons is trying to play in Sunday's regular-season opener against the Lions at Lambeau Field, although one source told Schefter it still is not certain if he will. If he plays, he would do so eight days after he was traded to Green Bay for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.

Green Bay then signed him to a four-year, $188 million contract extension that includes $120 million fully guaranteed at signing and $136 million in total guarantees, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, sources told ESPN.

The move occurred after a training camp hold-in when Parsons sat out of Cowboys practices because of back tightness.

There was added energy to practice and an increased buzz in the locker room on Monday. Shortly after the trade made news, left tackle Rasheed Walker -- a college teammate with Parsons at Penn State -- posted on social media that the Packers were going to win the Super Bowl now.

"I think it upped our chances by a lot," Walker said Monday. "We got a solid pass rush across the whole line. I don't think no one's gonna be able to throw the ball like that on us. It's gonna open up opportunities for our DBs and our offense, so yeah, I feel like Micah's gonna have a good presence on the field and it's gonna really be advantageous to us."

Walker said he expects Parsons to increase his workload in practice as the week goes on.

"He had a couple reps, but he said he's going to be more full-go Wednesday and Thursday," Walker said. "So, he's going to have to come see me."

Few were happier about Parsons' arrival than defensive end Rashan Gary, who has 39 sacks in his six seasons with the Packers but has never posted a double-digit sack season. Parsons' arrival could mean that Gary will face fewer double teams.

"I guess we're going to see that on the 7th," Gary said.

When asked if the addition of Parsons makes the Packers defense the best in the NFL, Gary said: "It's scary. It's for sure scary with the pieces that we have. The guys that we have, especially with the mindsets we all have. Especially talking to him today, we're kind of similar persons in terms of mindset. So it's going to be scary for teams, for sure."

Cornerback Nate Hobbs called Parsons "a generational talent."

"Just the reality of it, you know, on those rushing downs, the ball's probably going out come out quicker than it previously would or it usually does," Hobbs said. "Because I feel like the quarterback, there's going to be a timer in his mind, he's already going to be a little antsy. We've already got [Gary], we've already got premium inside rushers and we've already got great linebackers who can rush the quarterback. And you put a guy like Micah Parsons on the other side, and guys lose the rep before the rep starts, honestly. I just feel like it makes you as a DB just play even more confident."