GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) 鈥� Lukas Van Ness acknowledges his career hasn鈥檛 gone the way he expected when the Green Bay Packers selected him with the in the 2023 draft.
Van Ness wants to change that trajectory. He certainly has the opportunity.
The Packers need someone to chase opposing quarterbacks while All-Pro edge rusher misses the start of the season to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Van Ness鈥� status as a recent first-round pick makes him an obvious contender, but he has totaled only 8 陆 sacks over his first three seasons.
鈥淚t鈥檚 probably not been my ideal career if you would have talked to me in 2023 when I was a fresh rookie coming in here, but everyone鈥檚 got their own process and their own path,鈥� Van Ness said this week during the Packers鈥� mandatory minicamp. 鈥淚鈥檝e trusted the path. I feel really good about where I鈥檓 at.鈥�
Van Ness had four sacks in a promising rookie season but had just three in 2024 and 1 陆 in an injury-shortened 2025. He played just nine games last season after getting carted off the field with a foot injury in an Oct. 12 though he had a sack in Green Bay鈥檚 at Chicago.
Now he鈥檚 healthy again and hoping to fill a void for Green Bay, which went winless after last season. The Packers to Dallas and lost to the New York Jets in free agency, leaving them without many proven edge rushers as they await Parsons鈥� return.
They need Van Ness to live up to his draft position.
鈥淚 think pressure is a privilege to have,鈥� Van Ness said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e obviously in a blessed position where there鈥檚 people watching our spot and people are obviously going to have their own opinions, but at the end of the day I think you鈥檝e just got to believe in yourself and believe in what you鈥檙e hearing in the building from your coaches and from your circle and other players in the defensive room.鈥�
Those people have offered praise.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur says Van Ness has 鈥渟hown a ton of growth鈥� and points out that it鈥檚 typical for pass rushers to need some time to get going. Quarterback Jordan Love believes Van Ness is 鈥渋n a great spot.鈥�
鈥淗e puts the work in and he鈥檚 a guy that he鈥檚 always making practice hard on us,鈥� Love said. 鈥淚 think for him his get-off is what I鈥檓 noticing right now, his speed around the edge, so I鈥檓 excited about it.鈥�
Parsons is perhaps Van Ness鈥� biggest booster. Parsons was discussing Green Bay鈥檚 pass rushers with reporters last week when he noted that 鈥淚 definitely think I鈥檓 going to have my hands full with Luke on who鈥檚 going to be best,鈥� assuming Van Ness stays healthy.
鈥淚 think Luke is someone that people sleep on the most, and I don鈥檛 know why,鈥� Parsons said.
Van Ness said he appreciates having Parsons in his corner and notes that it speaks to the All-Pro鈥檚 character. Van Ness also cited support he received from Gary over the past few years.
鈥淚 think also being a first-round pick, coming in, (Gary) kind of had a similar career path that I did, had his ACL, dealt with injuries,鈥� Van Ness said. 鈥淗e was really just a guy who was able to get to a second contract, stayed on me with the motivation and my mental and to just keep everything positive.鈥�
The Packers have exercised their fifth-year option on Van Ness, whose contract now runs through 2027. His chances of getting his own long-term deal depend on whether he can take a step forward.
He鈥檚 ready for the challenge.
鈥淎t the end of the day, I feel like talk is cheap,鈥� Van Ness said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to put it out there when it matters.鈥�
NOTES: Former LSU and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly attended Thursday鈥檚 practice. LaFleur worked for Kelly as a graduate assistant with Central Michigan in 2004-05 and as a Notre Dame quarterbacks coach in 2014. 鈥� Green Bay has its final round of organized team activities next week, but LaFleur said that would only be for rookies.
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