Packers add Parsons, face Lions in Week 1

Green Bay’s offseason blockbuster acquisition of Micah Parsons has thrust the Packers into Super Bowl conversations and set up a high-stakes Week 1 meeting with the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Lambeau Field, even as questions about consistency within the NFC North and a handful of roster health issues linger. Quarterback Jordan Love, who figures to be the central figure in Green Bay’s hopes, is expected to be available after a recent procedure on his non-throwing thumb, coaches said, and has been practicing with a brace.

The trade for Parsons, announced earlier this week, sent futures markets shifting and made Green Bay an early NFC contender, oddsmakers and betting markets showed. The Packers were installed as roughly 2.5-point favorites over Detroit for the opener, and several outlets moved Green Bay up among Super Bowl favorites after the deal. Analysts and team observers say the combination of Parsons bolstering the pass rush and a reinforced receiving corps has the potential to change the team’s trajectory this season.

Love’s trajectory will determine how far the Packers can go, analysts wrote. He posted a breakout season as a starter in 2023, throwing more than 30 touchdown...