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Packers get creative to unlock former first-rounder after injuries and lack of growth left a bad taste following his second season

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wendell Ferreira | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 11:29 AM ET

Outside of quarterback Jordan Love for obvious reasons , it's difficult to figure out someone on the Green Bay Packers roster whose development in 2025 is so important for the team's success as edge defender Lukas Van Ness . The Packers didn't invest much in the position, and Van Ness is finally projected to start opposite Rashan Gary at the defensive end spot.

Last year was rough for the former first-round pick. After a decent rookie season, there wasn't notable improvement, and a hand injury may have been a big reason for it. In the locker room after an OTA practice on Tuesday, the third-year player revealed that a broken thumb affected his performance.

"I wore a full cast all the way until about Week 10 or 11 and then had some lingering issues. So I wore it most of the season, which is always kind of limited to playing just on the right side of the defensive line. So excited to get back, to have the ability to go play on both sides again," Van Ness said. "Play defensive line is all with your hands. So when you're kind of limited, not using the thumb, a lot of our moves are originated from that, you kind of have a mental block. It was taking me a little bit of time to gain some confidence again and utilizing my hand to its full extent."

Lukas Van Ness played with cast protecting broken thumb on right hand until Week 10 last year. Even after cast was removed, Van Ness said there was “mental block” learning how to use hands again.

How much did injury affect him?

“Playing defensive line, it’s all with your hands” pic.twitter.com/7lCEe7HOEN
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) June 3, 2025

It's not a coincidence that Van Ness had limited snaps, as he was on the field for only 39.3% of the defensive plays, and that he was much more solid after Week 12. Over the first 11 weeks of the season, he had six games with PFF grade under 60 (including three games in the 30s). From Week 12 on, he had only one game below 60, and none below 55. His pressures per game went from 0.7 to 1.85.

"I just think there's a difference in confidence level with him," head coach Matt LaFleur mentioned. "And I think the group as a whole, just our ability to get off the football, we've spent a lot of time on that. Those guys have taken the coaching and embraced it and have really worked at it."

Positional versatility

Over his college career at Iowa, Lukas Van Ness played 602 snaps as an interior defensive lineman and 324 at edge. The Packers don't intend to use Van Ness as a full-time interior player by any means, but exploring his versatility is on the table. At OTAs, Van Ness moved inside on some passing downs, for instance.

"Situationally, you can do that," LaFleur explained. "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."

In his first two seasons in the NFL, Van Ness had seven sacks, plus another one in the playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys. And after years of being behind Preston Smith and Kingsley Enagbare in the rotation, it finally feels like the first-rounder is ready to be more impactful.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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