Packers Put Lukas Van Ness on Track for a Breakout 2026 Season
The team kept Van Ness under contract through 2027 and now treats 2026 as a decisive test of his ability to generate consistent quarterback pressure.
Overview
- Green Bay exercised Van Ness’s fifth‑year option, keeping him under contract through the 2027 season as the club evaluates whether he can become a primary pass‑rush creator.
- Van Ness said he is healthy and optimistic after a foot injury that limited him to nine games in 2025, and he participated in the Packers’ mandatory minicamp this week.
- Through three NFL seasons Van Ness has totaled 8.5 sacks and has never posted more than 27 QB pressures or an 11.2% pressure rate in a single year, according to Next Gen Stats.
- The roster changes this offseason — trading Rashan Gary, losing Kingsley Enagbare in free agency, and not drafting an edge until the fourth round — have left limited proven edge depth behind Van Ness.
- With Micah Parsons expected to miss the start of the regular season recovering from an ACL tear, Van Ness’s 2026 play will shape Green Bay’s short‑term pass rush and his long‑term contract prospects.