Packers Defender in Danger of Losing Job to Breakout Week 11 Player

The Green Bay Packers are riding high after securing an improbable win at the buzzer against the Chicago Bears in Week 11. However, Sunday's near-scare was also the result of some players underperforming, as the struggling Bears almost put together a win effort despite being a team in disarray.

One Packer who certainly didn't pull his weight was linebacker Lukas Van Ness. The 2023 first-round pick was not only exposed on the edge once again, but he failed to make any positive mark on the game, recording zeroes across the box score.

This was an especially disappointing showing from the former top selection, as the Bears' leaky offensive line provided the exact kind of opponent he could use to regain his playmaking form.

However, Van Ness' lack of contributions paved the way for fellow LB Brenton Cox to get involved, and he immediately seized the opportunity. Cox came up with a big tackle for loss early on in the game, then followed it up with a sack to begin the second quarter.

In all, the 2023 undrafted defender logged three total tackles, including two for loss, a sack and two QB hits, making things difficult for Caleb Williams and the Chicago offense throughout the day.

So in just one game, Cox matched Van Ness' season totals in sacks (1) and QB hits (2). He's already halfway to the latter's TFL count (4) as well. That's incredibly damning evidence against the 2023 first-rounder, who was expected to step up following the trade for veteran Preston Smith at the deadline.

Now, the Bears were the perfect team for Cox make a statement against given their troubles on the O-line. His inactivity all year also likely caught them by surprise when he was on the field Sunday.

Yet, Cox's performance is an example of a player hungry to contribute taking advantage of any snaps they get.

Van Ness hasn't showed that kind of mentality at all in 2024. He's taken a clear step back across the board from his rookie year, which was solid but not spectacular, despite having an entire offseason to get better and transitioning to a 3-4 defense that created even more of a role for him to produce.

Green Bay making Cox active in Week 11 and giving him some playing time already shows Jeff Hafley being open to making changes on his unit. If Van Ness' struggles continue, his replacement is abundantly obvious now.

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