Defensive End
If you're not getting better, you're getting worse—and when it comes to the Packers’ edge rushers, that saying is starting to hit a little too close to home.
Green Bay loves betting on traits: freaky athletes with sky-high potential who can be molded into game-wreckers. That’s the philosophy behind drafting Rashan Gary at No. 12 in 2019 and Lukas Van Ness at No. 13 in 2023.
So far, the results have been underwhelming.
Gary has made steady strides since entering the league. He bumped his sack totals from 2 to 5 to 9.5 in his first three seasons—but he’s hit a ceiling since. He hasn’t turned into the dominant, double-team-drawing force the Packers were banking on.
He’s still a good player. But in 2025, he carries the fourth-highest cap hit among all edge rushers—and his production just doesn’t match that billing.
Van Ness is a bigger concern. He looked mostly lost in 2024. The tools are there—he’s a prototype athlete—but none of it matters if you can’t beat the guy in front of you. He’s got no real pass rush plan, no go-to move, and no momentum heading into year three. This season could be make-or-break for his NFL career.
The Packers had chances to bring in a steady veteran to help balance things out. They passed.
Instead, they took two swings in the draft: Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round and Collin Oliver in the fifth. Both have upside, sure, but banking on Day 3 rookies to fix a pass rush is asking a lot.
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. We’ll see if it pays off.