The Green Bay Packers listed 15 players on their Thursday injury report, including outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness, who is dealing with a back issue. Van Ness is having the most productive season of his career, with 11 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks through nine games. He has been an important part of a defense that has helped Green Bay reach a 6–3 record, particularly with Micah Parsons absent so far this season.
Van Ness missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Those consecutive absences do not rule him out of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field, but they raise questions about whether he will be available for the NFC North matchup. The Packers have a bye after the game and then 10 days before facing the Los Angeles Rams on Thanksgiving Eve, giving the team a reason to be cautious if Van Ness needs more time to recover.
## Micah Parsons’ Return May Come After the Bye
Parsons was limited in Thursday’s practice as he continues to work back from ACL and meniscus tears suffered nearly 11 months ago. He missed Wednesday’s session because of an illness.
Although Parsons could play against Minnesota, that would be earlier than expected based on his comments and public projections. The general expectation is that he could return for Green Bay’s game against the Rams in Los Angeles on November 25, after the bye.
If both Van Ness and Parsons are unavailable, the Packers could face the Vikings without their top two pass-rushers.
## Kirk Cousins Is Expected to Start for Minnesota
The Vikings acquired quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday, sending a third-round pick in return. Cousins returns to Minnesota after spending two and a half seasons with Atlanta and Las Vegas, and he is expected to start at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Green Bay entered the week as a three-point favorite, down from 5.5 points earlier in the week following the Cousins trade. The betting line could shift further as the teams’ health becomes clearer before kickoff.
