The Green Bay Packers enter 2026 training camp with edge defender as one of the most complicated position groups on the roster. The Packers traded two first-round picks to acquire Micah Parsons last year, and he delivered everything the front office hoped for when healthy. The question now is when Parsons will return from his ACL injury, and the timeline ranges anywhere from Week 4 to as late as November. That uncertainty creates a significant challenge for a defense that fell off a cliff late last season without its best pass rusher.

Lukas Van Ness is the headliner

Green Bay expects former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness to take a massive step forward and serve as the primary edge rusher while Parsons recovers. Van Ness missed significant time last year because of a foot injury, but when he was on the field, he was more efficient than in the past. He was clearly better than Rashan Gary, whom the Packers ended up trading away to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

The projected starter opposite Van Ness is Barryn Sorrell. The former fourth-round pick showed promise in that Week 18 game against the Minnesota Vikings last season. He didn’t play much during the regular season, but the coaching staff believes he can develop into a viable starter.

Depth options in the rotation

Beyond the projected starters, the Packers have several players competing for rotational snaps.

Collin Oliver, a fifth-round pick last year, was brought in as a hybrid off-ball linebacker/edge defender. Green Bay placed him in the edge defender room, but a hamstring injury cost him most of his rookie season. He did play in the Week 18 game against Minnesota, and the expectation now is that he enters camp fully healthy. With a complete training camp to prepare, Oliver could carve out a role as a designated pass rusher.

Fourth-round rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton is a player the Packers believe can contribute early. He has a high floor as a run defender and provides a viable presence as a pass rusher. That combination makes him a candidate to earn rotational snaps from the start.

Brenton Cox Jr. has been with the organization since 2023 and has five sacks over the past two seasons. He’s not someone Green Bay can bank on for heavy snap counts, but he can absorb reps in a rotation.

Arron Mosby has played a lot over the past few years, primarily as a special teamer with some rotational edge snaps mixed in. He occupies the fringe of the roster.

Undrafted rookie Nyjalik Kelly received the most guaranteed money among the Packers’ undrafted free agent class, signaling the front office sees at least practice squad potential. If Green Bay doesn’t sign a veteran to complement the room while Parsons is out, Kelly could push for a 53-man roster spot.

Dante Barnett rounds out the group as a member of the International Pathway Program. He doesn’t count against the 90-man roster or the 16-man practice squad, so he’ll be around throughout the season without being expected to contribute meaningful snaps.

Will the Packers add a veteran?

The biggest question hanging over this position group isn’t about any of the players currently on the roster. It’s whether the front office will sign a veteran edge rusher to bridge the gap until Parsons returns. The Packers saw firsthand what happened when they lacked a dominant pass rush presence late last season. Relying on a combination of Van Ness, Sorrell, and developmental pieces for potentially two months carries real risk, and general manager Brian Gutekunst has never been afraid to make moves when the roster has an obvious hole. The first few weeks of camp will reveal whether this group can hold up on its own or whether Green Bay needs to go shopping.