Packers have wrestled with fifth-year options before, but new decision is shaping up as a clear one
Green Bay has a chance to lock up Lukas Van Ness through 2027.
The NFL introduced the fifth-year option for first-round picks in 2011, when it established rookie-scale contracts. Every drafted player signs a standard four-year deal, but the team has an option over first-round picks for Year 5.
The value of the option is determined by position, playing time, and Pro Bowl appearances throughout the player’s first three seasons in the NFL.
Since 2021, though, the option has become a little bit more complicated for teams. Now, it is fully guaranteed at the moment it’s taken — previously, the team could just take the option and then release the player before Year 5 with no dead money.
The option has to be exercised or not after three seasons. So, it will soon be decision time for the Green Bay Packers regarding 2023 first-round pick edge defender Lukas Van Ness — the deadline is right after the draft in May. And that’s shaping up to be an easy one.
Performance and value
Van Ness had an up-and-down start to his career. The Packers always saw him as a long-term project, and he was EDGE3 behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith for a year and a half, then EDGE3 behind Micah Parsons and Gary for a year. In that half-season window, he was still behind Kingsley Enagbare.
Despite limited opportunities and injuries, Van Ness showed significant improvement in 2025, posting his most efficient season. He generated a career high 23 pressures, despite playing a career low 263 defensive snaps, with a 75.5 PFF grade.
Van Ness handled some injuries and opportunity limitations, but now that might benefit the Packers, because the player didn’t reach the playing-time threshold to raise his option. Without any Pro Bowl appearances, Van Ness’ option is projected at $14.976 million — that number may go up and down a little bit depending on how much the salary cap increases.
That’s not insignificant by any means, especially since it all hits at once on the salary cap in 2027. But it’s an extremely affordable amount for a talented edge defender, and the Packers are expected to cut, trade, or request a pay cut from Gary this offseason, making the financials work better.
Packers’ fifth-year option history
Since 2011, the Packers have declined the option for six players — Derek Sherrod, Nick Perry, Datone Jones, Jordan Love, Eric Stokes, and Quay Walker.
From those, Perry extended the contract after Year 4, while Love had a short-term deal agreed upon to replace the option, then signed an extension after Year 4 anyway. Cornerback Damarious Randall was traded to the Cleveland Browns before the decision deadline, and the Browns exercised the option.
Packers' fifth-year option history: Derek Sherrod ❌ Nick Perry ❌ Datone Jones ❌ Ha Ha Clinton-Dix ✅ Damarious Randall (traded) Kenny Clark ✅ Jaire Alexander ✅ Rashan Gary ✅ Darnell Savage ✅ Jordan Love ❌ Eric Stokes ❌ Quay Walker ❌ Devonte Wyatt ✅ Lukas Van Ness ❓
— Wendell Ferreira (@wendellfp.bsky.social) January 16, 2026 at 7:59 AM
The Packers did exercise the option six times as well — Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, Darnell Savage, and Devonte Wyatt. Clinton-Dix got traded during his fifth season, and Savage was let go in free agency. The others signed long-term extensions, and Wyatt is expected to do the same.
The fifth-year option has become a more dangerous tool since it’s now fully guaranteed, but the Packers are still in a good position to pull the trigger on Van Ness.
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