GREEN BAY – Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver did not stray far from Micah Parsons' hip pocket during their rookie season with the Packers.
So, it only makes sense that the young Packers edge rushers start 2026 in similar fashion.
After the Super Bowl was over, Parsons extended an invite to Sorrell and Oliver to come to Dallas to train with him while the four-time All-Pro pass rusher rehabbed from his torn ACL.
They accepted, and for nearly two months, the teammates lived, breathed and ate football – all the way up to Sorrell and Oliver reporting back to Green Bay for the start of the offseason program in April.
"Why would I not take that invite from a future Hall of Famer?" said Sorrell with a smile. "We built a relationship throughout the year. He was helping me out in the locker room, on the field and then obviously he told me he sees potential in me and wants to help me reach that next step."
Sorrell and Oliver knew each other even before they became teammates in Green Bay after training during the lead up to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Throwing Parsons in the mix is not for the meek, though. It's serious business working out with the unapologetically honest "Uno." Parsons recalls bringing Sorrell and Oliver to lunch on a few occasions and giving them a list of things to improve.
Their response to feedback was always overwhelmingly positive, which impressed Parsons. Even after Oliver was back in Green Bay, he'd still send Parsons his film and ask about his footwork and if his feet were where they're supposed to be.
"That just means how much he believes in me and how much I believe in him, just that safe space we have between each other," Parsons said. "That goes a long way when it comes to coming back and them excelling early in their careers, which I think we'll all appreciate."
Parsons and the Packers are counting on improvement from the young edge rushers, perhaps more so than at any other position on the roster.
Because while the team awaits Parsons' return, it also must replace more than 1,000 snaps played between Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare after Gary was dealt to the Cowboys and Enagbare signed with the New York Jets in free agency.
Lukas Van Ness, another Parsons favorite, is poised to take the biggest leap entering his fourth NFL season, but Sorrell and Oliver know more reinforcements are needed in the rotation – especially if Parsons starts the regular season on the physically unable to perform list and misses the first four games.
A fourth-round pick out of Texas last year, Sorrell played just 178 defensive snaps over 14 games as a rookie but nearly a third of those came in the regular-season finale in Minnesota.
Sorrell shined against the Vikings' starting offense, registering eight tackles, his first full career sack and a fumble recovery. After putting in the work in Dallas, the 6-foot-3, 256-pound edge rusher looked visibly stronger during the offseason program.
"I really want to reach the best that Barryn Sorrell can be," Sorrell said. "That's regardless of what (the edge rush) situation is around me. Obviously looking forward to the opportunity that's in front of me. Really looking forward to maximizing it. That definitely added motivation, as well, knowing I'm gonna have the opportunity this year to play a lot."
The Packers doubled down on the future of their pass rush when they selected Oliver 35 picks after Sorrell. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound edge rusher was one of the 2025 draft's most intriguing players given his athleticism and unique playstyle.
Complicating matters, however, was Oliver missing all but two games during his senior year at Oklahoma State due to a Jones fracture in his right foot. He then suffered a hamstring injury at the combine that eventually required surgery.
It caused Oliver to miss all but the finale in Minnesota last year. Like Sorrell, the 23-year-old edge rusher impressed in limited duty. NFL Next Gen Stats credited Oliver with four pressures in 31 snaps, along with a tackle for loss and two QB hits.
It was a jolt of momentum for Oliver after such a challenging rookie season. Further buoying his confidence were constant words of encouragement from Parsons throughout the year.
"It means the world because I want to be great," Oliver said. "I want to be great in this sport and he's one of the greatest players of our generation. To learn from him and to train with him and see where his mind's at when he's training and what he does on a daily basis to maintain the level of play that he has, gotta take him up on that."
Ready to embark on Year 2, Sorrell and Oliver are hungry to show Parsons and the Packers just how far they've come when the team returns for training camp at the end of July.
Parsons said Sorrell and Oliver have already discussed getting together again with him during the six-week break – an idea he welcomes. Because it's not just about what the rookies are getting from those interactions.
"I gained little brothers in the process, too," Parsons said. "I love those guys to death."
