The Green Bay Packers are banking on a lot of young talent to step up in 2026.
That could be what ultimately makes or breaks their season. However, Green Bay’s approach is the right one. It’s always better to build through the draft and develop young players, even if it takes some time. There may be one guy in particular who could raise the Packers’ ceiling this season.
Edge Rusher Lukas Van Ness Named ‘X-Factor’ for Green Bay Packers in 2026
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X factors. Non-QB, non-rookie players that will make or break your team’s season.
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ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak picked one x-factor from all 32 teams who he believes can sway the 2026 season. When it came to the Packers, he chose Van Ness — who he believes must step up after Green Bay lost several pieces within its front seven during the offseason.
“The Packers anticipate playing without Micah Parsons for at least the first six weeks of the season as he returns from a torn left ACL. Van Ness must give Green Bay a three-down presence as a penetrator who creates negative plays. I’m not sure where those negatives would come from otherwise. He has all the physical tools of a highly disruptive player — strong, quick and long with inside/out versatility — but the pieces have yet to come together. Over his career, he has a pressure rate of 10.2% (the average for a league edge rusher is 12.7%) and a QB hit rate of 4.2% — right on league average. Most of these snaps were as a rotational player, too. Now that Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare are gone, Van Ness will have to take a higher percentage of snaps this season.”
Lukas Van Ness Has Plenty on the Line in 2026
Van Ness elevating his game while Parsons is out would be huge. Even when Parsons returns, it would be nice if Van Ness could take some pressure off of him by being a productive pass rusher. The 2023 first-round draft pick has shown promise at times, but overall has been disappointing — recording 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble in 43 career games.
The Packers picked of Van Ness’ fifth-year option during the offseason, which will keep him in Green Bay through 2027. He will likely get every opportunity to prove himself over the next two years, but could feel some heat from rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton.
Development of Packers’ ‘X-Factor’ Could Sway 2026 Season