While the Green Bay Packers have a stronger overall roster than they did a season ago, there are still some concerns in certain areas that will need to be worked out during training camp.
One such example is the Packers' pass rush, which didn't get much attention from the front office during what can only be described as an underwhelming offseason. They drafted a couple of edge rushers in Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, while also adding defensive tackle Warren Brinson, but it's difficult to know what to expect from rookies, especially those taken in the later rounds.
First-round picks, however, come with much higher expectations. And that naturally brings us to 2023 No. 13 overall pick Lukas Van Ness, who has come nowhere close to living up to his draft status.
Now seemingly set to begin the season in the starting lineup, which is notable, seeing as how he hasn't started a single game in his young career, it's time for the 24-year-old to step up and give Rashan Gary, Devonte Wyatt, and Kenny Clark a lot more help on the defensive line.
Lukas Van Ness needs to step up for the Packers in 2025
This is undoubtedly a make-or-break season for Van Ness. As a first-round pick playing his third season, he's eligible to have his fifth-year option picked up next spring. But another average season obviously puts that payday in jeopardy.
And there's not even a guarantee the Packers would bring him back for his fourth season, as the Packers proved with the release of Jaire Alexander that nobody is safe if they can't consistently produce. And inconsistency has certainly defined Van Ness' career thus far.
The Iowa alum shows flashes of brilliance at times, but those moments are few and far between.
While he had a decent enough rookie campaign in 2023 with 32 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, and 4.0 sacks, he failed to make any significant strides a season ago and instead took a step in the wrong direction.
In 2024, Van Ness tallied just 3.0 sacks and only notched six quarterback hits, and, simply put, that's just not good enough.
He was drafted to help Gary get after quarterbacks, and he's not doing that. It's not that he's not trying, as perhaps the most positive thing about him is that he never gives up on a play. And the fact that he's yet to miss a game is a plus.
But Van Ness has to be better in 2025. The strength and athleticism that made him a first-round pick are still there. But he's still having issues learning how to properly shed blocks, which is obviously why he's having so much trouble getting at the quarterback.
Year three is when a lot of players on both sides of the ball truly come into their own. And with Sorrell waiting in the wings to showcase what he can do, it's time for Van Ness to step up or step aside.