Remember the summer of Josh Sweat trade rumors?
They never amounted to anything, but it made sense. The Green Bay Packers needed another pass-rusher to step up, especially with Micah Parsons missing the start of the season.
We didn't know whether Lukas Van Ness could finally reach his potential, and there was even more uncertainty about how much of an impact fourth-round rookie Dani-Dennis Sutton could make in Year 1.
The biggest compliment for the Packers' pass rush? This team has a million problems, and they could be active before the November 10 trade deadline, but you won't hear anyone talk about needing another edge rusher. Not Josh Sweat. Not Khalil Mack. Nobody.
Dennis-Sutton has quietly become one of the main reasons. He's giving the Packers reason for optimism – serious optimism – about the pass rush. And his emergence has eliminated the need to add a pass rusher before the trade deadline.
How Dani Dennis-Sutton is emerging as a difference-maker in Packers' defense
Van Ness has become a difference-maker this season, but he's replacing Rashan Gary as the No. 2, once Parsons is healthy. Brenton Cox Jr. has always been productive but hasn't stayed healthy in his career. The Packers needed another pass rusher to emerge, which is why Sweat's name came up as a logical trade target for much of the summer.
Dennis-Sutton has changed the calculus.
His playing time is trending up, and the production is following. Talk about an absolute steal in the fourth round. The only rookie pass rusher with more sacks and quarterback hits this season? David Bailey, who went No. 2 overall to the New York Jets. Dennis-Sutton fell to No. 120.
Per Pro Football Focus, Dennis-Sutton's 20 pressures trail only Van Ness and Cox on the Packers, and he ranks 24th among all edge defenders in that category. Not bad for a rookie who has yet to start an NFL game, right?
How about this for a stat: Dennis-Sutton has 1.5 more sacks, the same number of QB hits, and only five fewer pressures than Rashan Gary has in Dallas.
The Packers no longer need pass-rush reinforcements ahead of trade deadline
How Green Bay's pass rush would fare without Parsons was a real concern entering the season, but Jonathan Gannon's unit is exceeding expectations.
The Packers currently lead the NFL in sacks with 22. Yes, there's a pretty big caveat: they've played at least one more game than every other team. But they are on pace for 47 sacks, which would have tied for the seventh-most in the NFL last year.
Green Bay is on track for 11 more sacks than in 2025. Think about that for a moment. The Packers posted 36 sacks last season with Parsons for most of the year. He hasn't played a snap yet in 2026, but they're still way ahead of schedule in the sacks department.
Imagine how good this unit can become once No. 1 is on the field.
In many ways, Parsons' arrival will feel like a trade deadline move. He's expected back sometime in November, and the All-Pro will give the Packers' defense a seismic boost.
And it's great news for Dennis-Sutton, who is already becoming a problem for opposing quarterbacks. Anytime the rookie shares the field with Parsons, he'll get the chance to exploit favorable matchups. Parsons commands attention from defensive coordinators and draws chips and double teams. That makes life easier for everyone else.
All the preseason concerns about the Packers' pass rush have evaporated. Dennis-Sutton has played an important role in that.
Barryn Sorrell hasn't made a big jump in Year 2 yet. Van Ness is having a strong season but slots into the No. 2 spot.
Dennis-Sutton falling to the fourth round never made sense. He was one of the best athletes in the class, posting a near-perfect 9.96 Relative Athletic Score. He had proven college production, with 17 sacks in his final two seasons at Penn State. Everything pointed toward a productive NFL player.
From the moment the Packers picked Dennis-Sutton, it felt like he could be the steal of the draft. So far, he's living up to those expectations.
And his arrival has helped push pass rusher down the list of needs, a position they don't need to address before the November 10 trade deadline.
Add us as a preferred source on Google