GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 19: Barryn Sorrell #99 of the Green Bay Packers leads teammates onto the field during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. The Packers defeated the Cardinals 27-23. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
One of the biggest questions around Green Bay Packers training camp was who was going to step up into the role of Micah Parsons while he misses the first five or six weeks of the regular season. The obvious thought is that it will take a group effort, but second-year edge rusher Barryn Sorrell has been the first one to take hold of the starting position.
He has impressed at training camp so far. Even Parsons noted that he has seen Sorrell take a leadership role on and off the field in the same way that Parsons would.
"Even when I was in the rehab phase, and he was out there with Collin (Oliver) and Stack ( Nazir Stackhouse ) and all those guys at the house, he was still leading," Parsons told media members. "I told DC (Covington), I said you should count on Barryn being a leader, because he was holding guys to the standard that I would or I would expect him to do."
The Packers could use someone stepping into a leadership role this season, and they would be more than happy to see it be Sorrell.
GettyBarryn Sorrell #99 of the Green Bay Packers
Sorrell was a fourth-round pick, getting taken 124th overall by the Packers in the 2025 NFL Draft. He saw the field and was active for 14 games, but he was out there in a limited role. He finished the season with 206 snaps played. His career-high in snaps was 52 in an insignificant Week 18 game. Prior to that, it was just 30. He did play 28 snaps in the Packers' playoff loss to the Chicago Bears , though.
Still, overall he finished with just 1.5 sacks along with 15 tackles, and one being a tackle for loss. With the team still having Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness when Parsons was down last year, it was hard for Sorrell to carve out a role. Without Gary this year, they need someone to start across from Van Ness. It appears to be Sorrell.
Sorrell is not the only player in the mix, though. Brenton Cox was on the roster last year as well, and he saw the field in a limited capacity. He is pushing for a spot, too. The Packers also have Collin Oliver , who is a bit undersized, but could take on snaps as a speed rusher. He was a fifth-round pick last season.
They also have Dani Dennis-Sutton . He is a rookie, but was taken in the fourth round. He has flashed at times in camp already as well .
While the Packers have Nyjalik Kelly and Arron Mosby , those two are fighting at the end of the roster and not pushing for time on the field this year.
So, Sorrell is one of the four players competing for the role. Considering Oliver is a sub-package player, Dennis-Sutton is a rookie, and Cox played less than Sorrell last year, it makes sense for him to be the first name up. It also makes sense to assume the leadership role.
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