It's a Make or Break Year for Lukas Van Ness
It's now or never for the fourth year pass rusher
By GregMeinholz
When the Green Bay Packers drafted Lukas Van Ness at 13th overall in the 2023 draft, the pick was met with immediate criticism. He was seen as a project player, and that was something many Packers fans wanted no part of given how high of a pick they had. In his first training camp, he showed flashes of the talent he possessed, but he spent most of his rookie season as an understudy to veterans Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. He even saw fewer snaps than second-year fellow edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare. But since he had four sacks and ten QB hits in his rookie campaign, most saw his season as a nice first step. Unfortunately, though, Van Ness has not improved on that rookie campaign.
Every training camp since that rookie season, Van Ness has flashed. It's almost become an expectation on Ray Nitschke Field that whichever QB is under center across from Van Ness is going to feel the heat from him during nearly every drop-back. It's hard to go one day of camp without a member of the Packers' beat mentioning Van Ness getting after the QB. It's given fans a sense of hope that perhaps this season will be his breakout, but for the past two seasons, he's virtually disappeared after training camp apart from a few good plays here and there.
The patience from the fanbase has worn very thin. A 13th overall pick still just producing as an average player through his third season? Unacceptable. During OTAs last month, it was more of the same for Van Ness; he was flashing in offseason practice once again. The feeling behind those flashes, though, this time around, seems more desperate than hopeful. This time, Lukas Van Ness needs to step up not only for himself, but for the team as a whole.
With the uncertainty surrounding the timeline of the return of Micah Parsons from an ACL injury, the absence of Rashan Gary via trade, and the departure of Kingsley Enagbare in free agency, Lukas Van Ness may be slated as the Packers' number one pass rusher to start the 2026 season. For cheese heads everywhere, that's not exactly encouraging. Most of the hope being held out at this time is either that the team will sign or trade for another pass rusher, or that one of the promising second-year or rookie pass rushers will have a breakout. Many are already writing off LVN taking over as a top pass rusher.
His time is now. Or possibly never.
Make or Break
On April 30th, the Packers elected to exercise Lukas Van Ness' fifth-year option, locking LVN in through the 2027 season. So, he has two years left to prove something in a Packers' uniform, right? Well, not exactly. Fifth-year options tend more to benefit the team than the player. They often serve more as a time buffer to re-signing that player to an extension than anything. If a player just has not lived up to any expectations, teams may decline the fifth-year option and let him walk the following offseason. If they're exceeding expectations, that option may be exercised more as extra time to negotiate a new deal, and for those teetering in between, that fifth-year option could give a team one more season before they have to decide whether to let the player walk or re-sign.
For Van Ness, that third option is the likely case. Van Ness has shown improvement and some promise, but all in all, he still hasn't quite shown what kind of a player he is, and that's likely why the Packers picked up his fifth-year option. It gives them all of 2026 to watch what happens, and if he steps up, they'll have the entire 2027 offseason to extend him or even into the season if needed. If he doesn't, then he can possibly have next season to try again, but the Packers are unlikely to be on the hook for re-signing him quickly. If Lukas Van Ness wants his chance to cash in, this is his golden opportunity.
If this chance to prove himself as one of Green Bay's top pass rushers doesn't work out, Van Ness may find himself as the odd man out with the promising youth behind him. 2025 draft picks Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver are already looking to make second-year leaps, and 2026 draft pick Dani Dennis-Sutton will be looking to prove that he indeed is the steal of this past year's draft. LVN may either find himself at the head of the Packers' pass rush unit leading up to the return of Micah Parsons, or drifting backward; it will all be up to him to make the most of the 2026 season and the opportunity ahead of him.
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Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings.
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Comments (34)
Coldworld
July 22, 2026 at 10:40 am
Yes. Though the option pick up suggests he will be back next year, I suspect if he doesn’t break out next year he will be well down the rotation as a run down specialist on his way out. That’s even if we don’t try to eat some salary to move him. He simply can’t be a starter and not far exceed his impact to date. Flashes of potential unrealized will no longer cut it for him or for our prospects this year.
Savage57
July 22, 2026 at 10:41 am
Micah Parsons sees something in Van Ness that makes him vouch for the guy and broadcast his support for him as a player and teammate.
But whatever that is, it's above my pay grade and really good at hiding.
Cheezehead72
July 22, 2026 at 11:31 am
Let's say Parsons believes LVN is not a good player and will not improve what will he gain by saying that. If Parsons says the Packers should let him go because he is not good for the team what would that do to the locker room.
Parsons has to do whatever he can to motivate LVN to play better. It is in the teams best interest and his best interest.
TarynsEyes
July 22, 2026 at 11:33 am
A grain of salt comes to mind.
Snap the ball
July 22, 2026 at 10:56 am
What Parsons see in him is someone who buys beers for him after the game.
It’s time for Van Ness to be called Van Hammer
If not next year in this business will be Van out of the league.
Snap the ball
July 22, 2026 at 11:00 am
He was draft and develop guy and if he doesn’t work out we saved money paying him the place he got drafted. Actually a good move by Gute.
But the draft is over he has developed but how much. Will find out soon. Stay thirsty my friend. Maybe he gets two sacks in Minneapolis.
Start the season out with a bang.
ricky
July 22, 2026 at 11:33 am
Fish or cut bait. Or go to Long John Silver's. Right now, option three seems more likely.
GreenandBold
July 22, 2026 at 11:47 am
It’s picks like this that has put the Packers roster in the state it is in today . The 13 th pick of the draft !!!! I almost fell out of my chair . Everybody knew except Gute obviously . Too many of these type of picks by Gute . He has proven he’s not smarter than everybody else at least in the first round . Every year is the next year for LVN. Looks good in shorts and on Ray Nitschke field that’s about it .
NFLfan
July 22, 2026 at 06:55 pm
Gute keeps players like this way too long because it makes him (he thinks) look like a competent GM.
LVN is just one of many
GregC
July 22, 2026 at 11:49 am
I'm confused about the fifth year option. I thought it meant that the Packers were pretty much locked in on Van Ness through 2027 because if they cut him they would lose all of the money he had coming that season. This article implies that they can cut him after 2026 with no financial repercussions. Is this true?
I thought he played quite well last season, even though there were not as many splash plays as you would like to see from such a high draft pick. So I do think he could emerge as an impact player in 2026.
Cheezehead72
July 22, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Yes the Packers were on the hook for paying him the 5th year option once they said they were picking it up. The article states that 2026 is a prove it year for him to get an extension before 2027 or during the season.
GregC
July 22, 2026 at 05:48 pm
The author specifically said that Van Ness does NOT have two years to prove himself. But I don't think that's correct. I think he is setting up a false narrative about Van Ness having only one year to prove himself.
Snap the ball
July 22, 2026 at 12:15 pm
3 reasons he could have a good season
A. It’s time to shine
2. Been in the system for a while
D. Wyatt and Hargrove will take up doubles
Cheezehead72
July 22, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Wyatt maybe. Hargrave I doubt it. But then again it is easier to double in the middle than it is on the ends.
lou
July 22, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Your piece just tied the record for consecutive years of the "Annual He Breaks Out Packer Story" to match the Datone Jones record holder. If he succeeds fine, if not please hold back the temptation on next years story.
Leatherhead
July 22, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Josh Sweat, after three years:
39 games, 10 sacks, 41 tackles, 17 for a loss
Lukas Van Ness after three years:
43 games, 8.5 sacks, 58 tackles, 16 for a loss.
Looks pretty comparable at this point, yes? I've said it a million times....these 21 year olds aren't used to going up against experienced NFL tackles, and it takes some time for their strength and conditioning to improve enough to get stuff done.
Cheezehead72
July 22, 2026 at 12:49 pm
LH you got me to look it up. Josh Sweat was 21 years old when he came to the NFL. LVN was 22.
Leatherhead
July 22, 2026 at 02:01 pm
Edit
splitpea1
July 22, 2026 at 02:05 pm
But they're not comparable as far as expectations. Sweat was a late 4th-round pick, and he was obviously getting paid a lot less with his rookie contract. For a Day 3 prospect to turn out that well, it's almost like hitting the lottery. For upper first-round picks, it's a whole different story: what to expect shouldn't be a huge question mark in their fourth season.
Leatherhead
July 22, 2026 at 04:41 pm
Are we evaluating performance on the field or the expectations of clueless people???
Are you saying that VanNess played like a great Day 3 pick, or are you saying that Sweat played like a disappointing 1st round pick?
splitpea1
July 22, 2026 at 05:36 pm
I'm not saying anything because my mind is now twisted up in knots trying to decipher this riddle.
TarynsEyes
July 22, 2026 at 03:11 pm
These stats don't tell us the impact each had for the team.
You imply with this they're the same player, but everyone here would dump LVN for Sweat in a heartbeat.
Stats don't tell the whole story or truth, but they do cover up the obvious lies.
Leatherhead
July 22, 2026 at 04:43 pm
I'm not implying anything. I'm flat out showing the data that says their first three years in the league they had pretty similar production. MY POINT is that when these guys enter the league, they're going against older, stronger, more experienced guys and it takes them a while to catch up.
You are insinuating that I'm being deceptive or dishonest here. I'm not. You just don't like the facts because they contradict your narrative.
TarynsEyes
July 22, 2026 at 06:53 pm
You're not considering who each played with, the team, coaching, or players (as Parsons is claimed) to assist them. It isn't as cut and dry as the numbers.
Coldworld
July 22, 2026 at 04:40 pm
Sweat is an outlier who was a developmental athlete taken in the 4th round. He had half the snaps of Van Ness on D in his first 3 years in the league, so was more than twice as productive per snap even on the figures you cite. Not very reassuring really, and certainly not supportive of the purpose you try to use them to make. Sometimes you have to look at stats in a little more detail. Sweat’s career is far from a predictor that Van Ness will break out. In fact one could see the disparity as an alarm bell.
PS. If we are playing the comparative game, compare Van NESs/Sweat with Brenton Cox. Cox has 243 regular season defensive snaps, 5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits, 5 TFL in 2 seasons. If you want to use Sweat’s career arc as encouragement, maybe you are looking in the wrong place.
Leatherhead
July 22, 2026 at 04:55 pm
Productive per snap. Not overall production, but production per snap. So is there any other way you're going to massage the data, or are the goalposts going to stay there? This is the kind of fatuous sophistry I've come to expect from you.
Cox has played in 15 games in 3 years. Not a very big sample size and kind of indicative of a guy who you don't want to put on the field unless you have to.. VanNess has earned quite a bit more time on the field and he plays the run, too.
Josh Sweat's 4th season: 19 tackles, 7 for loss, 7.5 sacks. So what are you going to say if VanNess does that this year, because if he stays healthy, it's well within reason.
Handsback
July 22, 2026 at 01:15 pm
The only player on the d side of the ball that showed any attempt to stop the Ravens last year was LVN...
I do think it's a growth and strength thing with the trench players. Need more of it and learn ways to apply it.
JMHO
Cheezehead72
July 22, 2026 at 01:31 pm
From what I understand DE/Edge there is an need to have strength, speed , and technique. Speed cannot be taught or coached much. It is what it is and usually declines with age.
Strength can be coached because they can tell the player how to increase their strength through exercise and nutrition. That will increase until a point then I am not sure if it levels off or decreases.
Technique from what I understand is the biggy for a DE/Edge player. He has to know when to go inside or out. He needs to have different moves and when to use them or when he can just bull rush the blocker. I have seen rushers go inside and then spin and go outside and vice versa depending on what the blocker is doing.
LVN has yet to develop all the moves. His tool box is small. Hopefully he has learned the technique because I believe he has the strength. And he needs both of those because he is not the fastest rusher.
TarynsEyes
July 22, 2026 at 03:16 pm
The weak link will always look good when the strong can do nothing. The Ravens weren't worried about LVN taking over the game. Ignored doesn't mean strong effort.
stockholder
July 22, 2026 at 01:45 pm
As long as he doesn't miss games.
He'll get paid.
splitpea1
July 22, 2026 at 01:57 pm
What will "make" LVN is how successfully he develops and applies his secondary moves instead of relying so heavily on his bull rush. I don't think any in-house mentoring is of much use; he has to find what works for him as opposed to what works for others. He uses some moves similar to Gary's, but he needs more. Brian Bulaga, who regularly practiced against the smaller and super-quick CM3, recommended that LVN study the play of a comaparable body type to his own: specifically Aiden Hutchinson. Now it's a sheer fantasy that LVN will turn into a player like that, but still, some spin moves and stutter steps could turn him into a more impactful player in pass defense. Hutchinson, though, had this stuff working for him in college, while LVN, well, you know the story.
I think at this point, after three seasons, it's up to the individual player to show the organization in no uncertain terms that he was worth the option--while he has made some progress during this time, we're going to need more than baby steps here.
TXCHEESE
July 22, 2026 at 02:30 pm
It would be great if LVN and all the edge rushers would take a queue from Parsons and rev that motor a little more fiercely. I think a lot of defense is grit and effort. LVN has the physical tools. As mentioned above, he needs to develop some counters to the offensive lineman in front of him and strain more.
Last season, the entire defense played great the first two games, but everyone but Parsons seemed to back off on the effort after that.
Leatherhead
July 22, 2026 at 05:12 pm
If you don't like the Josh Sweat comparison, we could try some others.
Joseph Ossai signed a nice FA contract this summer. His first three years he had 10 sacks and 38 tackles.
Or Kingsley Enagbare, who also signed a nice FA contract. His first three years in the league, he had 10 sacks and 44 tackles.
I could go on. None of these guys did better than Van Ness in the first three seasons, but they all got a second contract.
Packers0808
July 22, 2026 at 05:16 pm
My guess a break year and a bust, will be gone.