It is no secret that the Green Bay Packers have high expectations for edge rusher Lukas Van Ness in his fourth NFL season. Not many people are higher on Van Ness than Packers outside linebackers coach DeMarcus Covington. Covington told media members that he believes Van Ness is one of the Packers’ best players when healthy.
Those are big expectations to put on a player who has 8.5 sacks in three seasons. Now, the pressure is on him to lead the Packers defense through the games Micah Parsons will miss due to his ACL injury.
Green Bay Packers Have High Expectations for Lukas Van Ness
GettyGreen Bay Packers edge Lukas Van Ness #90
Van Ness went 13th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, so the team is hoping for him to be one of their best players. That has not shown up on the field consistently enough. To be fair, he has mostly played in a rotational role.
Still, Van Ness posted four sacks during his rookie season and then had three sacks in the year following that. There were hopes for him to take a step forward in his third season, but the Packers traded for Parsons, which kept him as the third rusher behind Parsons and Rashan Gary.
Van Ness had just 1.5 sacks in nine games, but was much more disruptive as a third rusher who could slide inside and complement Parsons. Still, he got hurt, and it ended his season after just nine games.
So, Covington is mostly pointing to last year when discussing his health. Besides 2025, he has been healthy. Van Ness was better in 2025, despite it not showing on the stat sheet. Still, they are now asking a lot of a player with such little production to be their best player.
Packers Defense Needs Van Ness in 2026
Without Parsons, the edge rusher room is going to get thin. Barryn Sorrell is going to start across from Van Ness by all indications. Still, Sorrell had 1.5 sacks as a rookie fourth-round pick last year.
The Packers do have Devonte Wyatt, who also has first-round upside, but he is coming back from an injury as well. Javon Hargrave is expected to start next to him. In his prime, he could have been the best player, but he is two or three years removed from his best football.
Edgerrin Cooper is a breakout candidate and could be one of the more impactful players, but he is not there yet. His running mate at linebacker, Zaire Franklin, is coming off of a down year, which is why the Indianapolis Colts traded him.
The entire cornerback room is going to be fighting to start, so none of them can be the best player on the defense right now. The safety room is the best room on the Packers’ defense. Xavier McKinney could be the most impactful Packers player. Both Evan Williams and Javon Bullard are breakout candidates.
So, between the three safeties and Wyatt, they have a few names who might be able to provide the impact Van Ness can. Still, if Van Ness can be what the Packers think he is, the impact would be massive.
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