It's been three years since the Green Bay Packers used the 2023 NFL draft's No. 13 pick to select Lukas Van Ness out of Iowa. So far, the 24-year-old disruptor has shown some flashes here and there, but he has yet to step up and live up to that type of draft capital.
That's why, now that Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare are gone and Micah Parsons will reportedly miss the first month of the season, the table is set for Van Ness to take a leap and earn a chance to remain in Titletown beyond his rookie contract, which will expire next March.
The Clock is Ticking for Lukas Van Ness
Most Packers fans expected Van Ness to take that next step last season. Playing next to Parsons was going to open things up for him, at least on paper, but that wasn't necessarily the case. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't what one would expect from a former first-rounder drafted to be a game-changing presence.
Injuries limited him to just nine appearances (2 stars), with him registering 19 total tackles (12 solo), three tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks. All in all, he's logged 8.5 sacks in three years in the league despite only starting two games, so he's clearly got the potential to be a prime headhunter with expanded opportunities.
The Packers added Javon Hargrave to the pass-rushing mix this offseason, and new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will have some big shoes to fill as Jeff Hafley's replacement. Keeping the quarterback on his toes should be near the top of the priority list, especially with a defensive line built around what Parsons can provide in the first two levels of the defense.
Again, that should also benefit Van Ness, an athletic and elusive player with a great nose for the quarterback who also tends to go long stretches without making an impact. He should get at least three starts to show what he can do, and he's essentially entering a contract year, even if the Packers decide to pick up his fifth-year option.
Van Ness has all the physical tools to be a difference-maker at the line of scrimmage. Even in limited snaps, Pro Football Focus gave him a respectable 75.5 grade, which ranked 27th among 115 eligible defensive ends.
Van Ness had 23 total pressures in just 151 pass-rush snaps, and if he piles up three or four sacks in the first month of the season, it's going to be quite tough to get him off the field even when Parsons gets back to full strength. He's younger than Hargrave, and in an ideal world, he's going to wreak havoc next to Parsons instead of coming off the bench to replace him.
That's why it's time to put up or shut up. If Van Ness' development remains stagnant, it'll be clear that the Packers will have no choice but to turn the page next offseason.