With the NFL draft just one week away, teams are finalizing their big boards. The Green Bay Packers have eight picks in this year's draft, but don't own any first-rounders after the Micah Parsons trade.
Regardless, the Packers will have multiple chances to add talent to this roster, but defensive end Lukas Van Ness may be their best trade piece ahead of the draft. Despite being in Titletown for the last three years, he hasn't lived up to expectations and could be the team's best trade asset.
Lukas Van Ness Could Be the Packers Best Trade Piece
The Packers selected Van Ness with the No. 13 overall pick in 2023. They believed they were getting a pass rusher who would develop into a high-end starter, but that hasn't been the story. In 43 career games (two starts), he finished with 84 total tackles, 17 TFLs, 23 QB hits, and 8.5 sacks. Green Bay has used him as a rotational piece, as Van Ness has never played in more than 45 percent of the defensive snaps.
And even with the opportunities he was given, Van Ness wasn't able to consistently generate pressure.
Season | Total Pressures | Hurries |
|---|---|---|
2023 | 18 | 8 |
2024 | 20 | 13 |
2025 | 23 | 14 |
Van Ness also dealt with a foot injury in 2025 that limited him to nine games (two starts). With an entire offseason to recover, the hope is that he'll be ready to roll in 2026, but there's no guarantee that he'll be a part of the future. Green Bay has yet to pick up his fifth-year option for 2027, which is a cool $14.4 million, per Spotrac.
That's a big number for a player who hasn't played up this potential. The Packers need to decide whether Van Ness is someone they want around for the future, and if so, they'll need to hammer out an extension in the next 12-18 months. If not, they are better off moving on from Van Ness and getting something in return.
Teams are already willing to take a chance on a pass rusher, especially with one who was a recent enough first-round pick. If the Packers wanted to move on from Van Ness, they could likely fetch a 4th or 5th-round pick in return. That may not seem high for Green Bay, but it's all about how the Packers, as well as the market, view him.
Parsons is the main force for this Packers defensive front. They have young guys like Karl Brooks, Brenton Cox Jr., Barryn Sorrell, and Collin Oliver who are waiting in the wings. Without Van Ness in the equation, that group could see more playing time, giving Green Bay a better sense of what those players can achieve in the green and yellow.
Obviously, with Parsons rehabbing from a torn ACL and Rashan Gary traded away, it may not seem like the right time to move on from Van Ness, but if the front office doesn't see him as a part of the future, he could be their best trade piece ahead of the NFL draft.
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