5 Packers With The Most To Lose In the Playoffs

5. Lukas Van Ness

The Packers need to see something—anything—from Lukas Van Ness.

Green Bay selected Van Ness with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, betting on his raw athleticism and upside. They envisioned him as a project with the physical traits to eventually follow in Rashan Gary's footsteps. Patience was part of the plan. But not this much patience.

Van Ness had a quiet rookie season, playing 444 defensive snaps and finishing with 22 pressures and six sacks. The hope was that Year 2 would bring a step forward, especially after the Packers traded Preston Smith at the deadline and opened up opportunities for others along the defensive line.

Instead, Van Ness has taken a step back—or, at best, remained stuck in neutral. His snap count dropped to 427, and his production followed suit: just 20 pressures and four sacks. For a team that badly needs help in the pass-rush department, Van Ness hasn’t provided the spark they anticipated when they invested a top-15 pick in him.

Now, the Packers face pressing questions about their pass rush heading into 2025.

Gary, despite a down year, will remain the focal point of the unit. Brenton Cox Jr. has shown flashes and could be a key rotational piece, while Kingsley Enagbare offers solid depth. But Green Bay desperately needs a reliable second starter to pair with Gary, someone who can draw attention and make offenses think twice.

The playoffs are more than just a high-stakes stage for the Packers—they’re an audition for Van Ness. This is his chance to prove he can be more than a bit player.

Can he rise to the occasion, generate consistent pressure, and solidify himself as a starting-caliber edge rusher? If not, the Packers might have to re-enter the market for a pass-rushing solution in the offseason. For Van Ness, the clock is ticking.

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