The Green Bay Packers are exiting the offseason with a new look pass rush that still features Micah Parsons, but has elevated Lukas Van Ness into a potential starting role. This was due more to the process of elimination and nothing that Van Ness himself did. The Packers opted to move on from Rashan Gary, dealing the edge rusher to Dallas, and Kingsley Enagbare walked away in free agency, joining the New York Jets. Both of these moves push Van Ness into a role that the edge rusher simply appears ill-suited to fill.
Green Bay expecting Van Ness will fill a starting role is obviously a concern after last season's results. The defender only had 1.5 sacks and has watched his sack totals slide each of the past two seasons, with 4.0 in his rookie year being the high-water mark. Context is important here, with Van Ness only playing 263 snaps due to injury, but this only furthers the conversation.
Durability only add to the case that Van Ness is being put into a spot that is ultimately going to end in frustration. Even starting opposite Parsons, the pass rusher has proven to have a limited ceiling, and there is no reason to believe this is going to change in year four.
Packers Clearly Setting Luka Van Ness up for Failure Elevating Defender in Starting Role
Van Ness did have 23 pressures in limited snaps as well as seven quarterback hits. This points to the fact that the defender isn't without value, but simply lacks the resume to earn his current promotion. Green Bay would be wise to look to the free agent and trade market, searching for potential answers or at least bringing in a depth upgrade.
Part of Green Bay's defensive strategy appears to be relying completely on Parsons to create a pass rush, believing that the pieces around him can thrive with lesser attention. This worked for Gary at the start of the 2025 season; however, the numbers quickly faded, and the veteran is a far more accomplished example than Van Ness.
With this in mind, the position remains a clear area of concern that Green Bay needs to address in the coming weeks. If the franchise opts to sit with its current options, it is hard to imagine Van Ness thriving under a microscope in his new role. The pass rusher has already proven that when expectations are high, he will struggle to deliver.
That was the case after the defender's rookie season, when 4.0 sacks appeared to set up a clear path of growth and continued contributions. Instead, Van Ness regressed and made it clear he couldn't be relied on in a starring role. This is a lesson the Packers must remember and remedy before the start of the 2026 season.
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