Micah Parsons made his Green Bay Packers debut last Sunday, and he showed signs of what's to come. While he played less than half of the defensive snaps, he recorded one tackle for loss, one sack, and one quarterback hit.
Entering Week 2, Green Bay's defense is tied for sixth in scoring defense, sixth in yards allowed, tied for first in rushing yards allowed, and tied for third in sacks.
While the unit as a whole was dominant, Parsons noted that he expects third-year Lukas Van Ness to have a breakout season, even comparing him to Hall-of-Famer and former Packers Pro Bowler Julius Peppers.
"I think Van Ness is going to have his best year yet this year. I'm going to make sure of it. That guy, he's a very selfless player, like very selfless. He's one of them guys that can go anywhere. He plays the run. He does everything," said Parsons.
"He's the high-quality player that you just want to be around. I'm going to make sure that guy gets as many plays as possible. I believe in him. I told him, I said, 'I think you can be like a Cameron Wake. You could be like a Julius Peppers. You're a 4.5 guy, and it's time for you to show it.'"
Micah Parsons believes Lukas Van Ness will enjoy a breakout third season with Packers
Van Ness recorded 65 total tackles, 46 solo tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass defended over the first two years of his career.
In his first game of 2025, the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft finished with four total tackles, one solo tackle, one tackle for loss, 0.5 sacks, and one quarterback hit.
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The defense as a whole was a major strength in the 27-13 victory over the NFC North rival Detroit Lions, as the lone touchdown they gave up came in garbage time with under a minute left. Their ability to neutralize one of the best offenses in the NFL last season gave fans plenty to be optimistic about.
If Van Ness is able to put it all together and become the player the Packers expected him to be when they drafted him so highly, Green Bay's pass-rushing trio, which also includes Parsons and Rashan Gary, could be the best in the league.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will have his hands full trying to maximize all three players, but if Sunday's game -- where Gary also recorded 1.5 sacks -- is any indication, he is up to the task.