Draft pedigree and physical dominance keep Lukas Van Ness in the top 20, but lackluster production and injury woes make 2026 a defining crossroads for the Green Bay Packers' edge rusher.
We're officially 20 days from the start of the 2026 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. Whether you're ready or not, football season is here.
The Packers kick off their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Talk about pressure. The Vikings are certainly in a transitional place as a franchise, but getting going against an NFC North foe ratchets up the intensity of this season from the get-go.
It's a big season for the Packers. There's a belief that they're in a Super Bowl window right now, which means every single game is important. That means the intensity will be there in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets and it will certainly be there in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when the Packers will play at Lambeau Field for the first time in 2026.
There's going to be a lot of proverbial ink spilled on this 2026 season and we here at PackersRoundtable hope that you spend as much time as possible with us talking about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Packers.
As we prepare for the 2026 season, though, we're going to kick things off with a rankings series looking at the Top 50 Packers heading into the 2025 season.
At No. 20, we have EDGE Lucas Van Ness
Ranking the Top 50 Packers Heading Into 2026: No. 20, Lukas Van Ness
Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness (90) celebrates after recovering a ball fumbled by Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.The fact that Lukas Van Ness is ranked No. 20 on these rankings is a disappointment. General Manager Brian Gutekunst selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was the selection made with the pick that came back to the Packers in the trade that sent Aaron Rodgers to the Jets.
Van Ness was always a "developmental" player coming out of Iowa, but we've barely seen any development out of him in the past three seasons.
That's not to say he hasn't had flashes. He's also as physically imposing as ever at 6-foot-5, 272 pounds.
Consistency has been a massive issue for Van Ness, though. He also struggled to stay healthy last season, and that never helps.
He's in the Top 20 of these rankings because of his draft pedigree and potential alone.
The Packers picked up his fifth-year option earlier this offseason, so they're going to need him to officially start cashing in on that potential. He's locked in through 2027 and will make a fully guaranteed salary of around $13 million in 2027.
This 2026 season will tell us whether or not that was a smart move by Gutekunst or a massive financial mistake.
2025 Synopsis:
In nine games played with two starts, Van Ness notched 19 tackles (12 solo), seven quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Notable Quotables:
“My goal for this year is getting back to really having fun with football and enjoying it, and I think I’m doing that. With this new defense, (there’s) a lot of versatility, allowing us to play free without thinking, and I’m just having a lot of fun." - Lukas Van Ness
Projected Role in 2026:
Van Ness is going to be a starting defensive end for this team and whether that is good, bad or ugly is up to him. Without a doubt, the Packers need him to live up to his potential, especially as they wait for Micah Parsons to return from a torn ACL.
Previous Rankings:
