The Green Bay Packers are making a $13.8 million commitment to disappointing first-round edge rusher Lukas Van Ness following last week’s 2026 NFL draft.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, the Packers are picking up the fifth-year option for Van Ness — the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 draft — ahead of the league deadline for teams to exercise options on May 1. The move will lock him into place with the team for the 2027 season with a fully guaranteed salary of about $13.75 million.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky also confirmed Schneidman’s report about Van Ness, who will now have until Friday, May 1, to sign his fifth-year option with the Packers for 2027.
“Source: Packers picked up the fifth-year option for edge Lukas Van Ness,” Schneidman wrote April 30 on X. “Per [Over the Cap], that guarantees his 2027 salary at about $13.8 million. [He] enters 2026 as No. 2 edge behind Micah Parsons. Team appears confident in a healthy LVN after he missed half of last year with a foot injury.”
Van Ness has tallied 8.5 sacks in 43 games for the Packers over the past three seasons, making his fifth-year option decision seem like a toss-up for the franchise with one of the league’s most talented pass rushers — Parsons — on the roster at a high-end cost.
With Parsons possibly out for the start of the 2026 season and Rashan Gary no longer on the roster, though, Van Ness should have an opportunity to open his fourth season as the Packers’ top starting edge rusher and earn his option price before 2027 arrives.
Packers Still Waiting on Lukas Van Ness’ NFL Breakout
The Packers believed they had found another electric pass rusher for their defense when they took Van Ness with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 draft, but the 24-year-old has yet to deliver on those lofty expectations over the first three years of his pro career.
Through three seasons, Van Ness has not broken out of his rotational role on defense despite playing for two different defensive coordinators (Joe Barry in 2023 and Jeff Hafley in 2024 and 2025). He achieved his most production as a rookie in 2023 when he tallied four sacks, eight tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits in 17 games, but he has yet to match or exceed those numbers and only has two career starts, both in 2025.
By Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Van Ness did get better in 2025 despite his foot injury limiting him to just nine. He ranked 19th in pass-rush productivity and 20th as a run defender (72.1) among 115 qualified edge rushers who played at least 250 defensive snaps. He also generated 23 total pressures despite playing a career-low 263 snaps.
Even still, the Packers will need to see Van Ness’ technical improvements translate to more substantial production for them in 2026 to feel good about picking up his option.
Can Jonathan Gannon Unlock Van Ness’ Potential?
One thing that could help Van Ness in his fourth season is the presence of Jonathan Gannon, the Packers’ newly hired defensive coordinator who favors multi-look fronts.
Gannon helped transform the Philadelphia Eagles‘ pass rush into a league powerhouse during his two seasons as their defensive coordinator, leaning on four-man fronts with a heavy pass-rushing rotation to generate some of the best numbers in the league. He will have the opportunity to do so again in Green Bay, with Van Ness at the forefront.
While the Packers will need to figure out who else fits into the rotation — likely Karl Brooks and fourth-round rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton — Van Ness has a clear path to a starting role even once Parsons returns to the lineup. Gannon could even use him as their primary pass-rushing force off the edge for however long Parsons has to sit out.
The key for Van Ness, though, is run defense. Gannon’s hybrid system will make use of both 4-3 and 3-4 defensive fronts, but both will require Van Ness to ensure that he can shut down the run at a high clip. His run defense was the best part of his game in 2025, both before and after his injury, but he needs growth more than replication in 2026.
If Van Ness can do that (and stay healthy), his first-round potential could finally unlock.
Packers Make $13.8 Million Decision on Disappointing Edge Rusher