‘Make-or-Break’ Season for This Packers First-Round Pick

As part of the Aaron Rodgers trade in 2023, the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets flip-flopped places in the first round of the draft, with Green Bay moving up to No. 13 and New York moving down to No. 15.

Through two years, that part of the trade could hardly have gone worse for the Packers.

The Packers’ pick at No. 13, Lukas Van Ness, had four sacks as a rookie and three sacks in 2024. In two seasons, he has seven sacks, 14 tackles for losses and 16 quarterback hits. He has started zero games.

The Jets’ pick at No. 15, Wisconsin native Will McDonald, had three sacks as a rookie but 10.5 sacks in 2024. In two seasons, he has 13.5 sacks, 15 tackles for losses and 29 quarterback hits. He started 15 games last season.

Pro Football Focus picked a player who “can single-handedly make or break the success” of his team for all 32 franchises. For the Packers, as you might have guessed by now, it picked Van Ness.

“Former 13th-overall pick Lukas Van Ness has yet to prove he is a capable NFL starter,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman wrote. “Through his first two seasons, he has … compiled just 42 total pressures.”

Van Ness was the fifth defensive player selected in 2023 overall, the fourth defensive lineman and the third edge rusher. Yet, he is 17th in the draft class in sacks.

Focusing on just edge rushers who were part of the 2023 draft, 38 played last season. Van Ness was 12th with 20 pressures and ranked 16th in pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

“I think it comes down to consistency, being the same guy every single day, doing what’s asked of you with minimal mistakes,” Van Ness said of his confidence during OTAs. “I think that confidence comes from trust and if you can get your teammates to trust you, you can get your coaches to trust you, and you have confidence in yourself then you’ll be able to go out there and play free.”

Asked about goals, Van Ness instead chose to talk about his work.

“This is the NFL. They say if you’re not doing something, somebody else is,” he said. “As I’ve said, I have very high expectations for myself and what I think I’m capable of, what I can do. Most importantly, it’s just coming in here every single day and being consistent, being a hard worker and just putting trust among the team that I can do the job.”

At least Van Ness is healthy now. He suffered a broken thumb during last year’s offseason practices and wore a cast for most of the season. 

“For guys, women, fans that didn’t know, he’s a dog, man,” fellow defensive end Rashan Gary said during OTAs. “Our hands are everything as a defensive lineman. If you don’t have these, you don’t have nothing. Playing with nine instead of 10 fingers, going against people, 340, 330, 350 (pounds), it’s a hard job. But that just shows you his grit, his hunger for the game and how much he cares about this team and the organization.

“As you see through him fighting through his battle, what he was able to do and able to produce and get better week in and week out. Seeing Lukas healthy now, able to play both sides and stuff, it’s just been great seeing it.”

A huge key for the upcoming season will be Green Bay putting together a more consistent pass rush. Van Ness will be front and center in that mission.

“Green Bay ranked just 28th in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade without blitzing last season,” Wasserman concluded. “If Van Ness and the rest of the defensive line can’t win their matchups up front, then the Packers could be looking for new options for that unit next offseason.”

As he enters Year 2 in the defense and is in position to win the starting job, Van Ness said he “100 percent” is in the best situation of his career to take advantage of his potential.

“A lot of this game is mental,” he said, “and I think over the past few years, I’ve been able to kind of find myself and who I am and the type of player and type of rusher I am. I really feel it’s coming all together, so I’m excited.”