Unexpected test could be the Packers’ best alternative to overcome key injury and stay competitive this season
Lukas Van Ness may have a bigger role.
Back in the offseason program, the Green Bay Packers hadn’t and not even expected to acquire edge rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys. At that point, the widely projected reality was for former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness to start at defensive end opposite Rashan Gary. Even then, though, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley tried out a creative solution to utilize Van Ness more, moving him inside to defensive tackle.
The perfect moment to try something new
Over the first four weeks of the regular season, Van Ness played 51.66% of the defensive snaps, behind Rashan Gary (65.31%) and Micah Parsons (64.58%). He’s obviously an important rotational edge rusher, but Hafley could go back to his offseason experience for the next few games.
Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt is week-to-week with a knee injury, which means he will probably miss Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. And the performance of the interior was underwhelming at best versus the Dallas Cowboys before the bye after Wyatt left the game.
You know where we’re headed here. Van Ness could play more snaps on the interior, helping replace Wyatt’s ability to rush the passer from inside.
“Situationally, you can do that,” LaFleur explained back in the offseason program. “I think in known pass situations, there’s some thought around that. A lot of it is gonna be just depending upon everybody else as well. Lukas has shown a lot of growth and I’m excited to see him once we get pads on and, really all those guys, how they compete.”
Track record
Lukas Van Ness played several snaps at defensive tackle at Iowa, and he’s done it this year as well. From his 140 defensive snaps in 2025, a significant 34 of them were on the inside—23 over the tackle and 11 on the B-gap. It’s obviously not the same role or body type as Wyatt would have, but it’s a possibility to explore an alternative to solve a complicated circumstance.
Without Wyatt, the Packers are expected to start Colby Wooden and Karl Brooks at defensive tackle versus the Bengals. The rotational pieces are two rookies: Undrafted Nazir Stackhouse, who struggled last week, and sixth-rounder Warren Brinson, who’s been inactive and hasn’t played regular season snaps.
The Packers need answers, and moving Van Ness around to put their best players on the field could be the best solution—at least situationally.
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