Packers make final call on Lukas Van Ness, and it has major implications over his future in Green Bay
Van Ness was the Packers’ first-round pick back in 2023, and he hasn’t established himself as a full-time starter yet. Now, Green Bay made an impactful financial decision.
The Green Bay Packers have invested in Lukas Van Ness once again. Even though he has not been a starter for the team in his first three NFL seasons, the Packers are willing to give him more time. Ahead of the limit, the Packers exercised Van Ness’ fifth-year option.
Now, the edge defender is under contract through 2027. He will make $3.121 million in 2026, which was already guaranteed, and now the added year on top of it will cost Green Bay $14.5 million (via Ken Ingalls’ projection). The number is fully guaranteed.
The fifth-year option is a tool applied only for first-round picks. The team has the option to exercise it or not at the end of the player’s third season in the NFL. The amount of the option depends on position and accomplishments in the league. Van Ness didn’t make the Pro Bowl or reach the playing time threshold, so he ended up on the lower-end among defensive ends.
Background on the Packers
The Packers tried to keep their long-term approach in the 2023 first round. After moving up from pick 15 to 13 in the Aaron Rodgers’ trade to the New York Jets, Green Bay took edge defender Lukas Van Ness even having Rashan Gary and Preston Smith on the roster. When Smith was eventually traded, Kingsley Enagbare became the second starter instead.
Van Ness was supposed to be the starter for the first time in 2025, his third NFL season, but he went back to the bench when the Packers traded for Micah Parsons.
The developmental process wasn’t ideal, but now Van Ness is finally expected to be a starter, since Gary was traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
Even though Van Ness hasn’t been what’s expected from a first-rounder, there has been some evolution in his game. Last season, with playing limited games due to a foot injury, he had a career-high 23 pressures — but only 1.5 sacks. The young player was also effective against the run and generated 13 stops.
Over the past two seasons, the Packers drafted Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, and Dani Dennis-Sutton on Day 3. But Lukas Van Ness still has the highest upside, and that’s what Green Bay expects from him either way.
