According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Green Bay Packers will not be acquiring edge rusher Josh Sweat. But that’s just fine with Packers All-Pro Micah Parsons.
Parsons adamantly stressed to reporters Wednesday the team has what it needs at edge rusher to be successfully. To make his point, Parsons went through the Green Bay depth chart along the defensive front and highlighted the top contributors.
Former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness, who still has yet to live up to his draft hype, received the biggest Parsons endorsement.
“I think between all of us, I think Luke is someone that people sleep on the most, and I don’t know why,” Parsons said. “I think by the end of this season, if Luke stays healthy, I think he’ll probably be the favorite. That’s how much confidence I have in him.”
Van Ness is entering his fourth NFL season this fall. Last season, he had 19 combined tackles, including three of loss with 1.5 sacks in nine games. Van Ness missed a significant portion of the season because of a right football injury.
In 43 career games, Van Ness has registered 8.5 sacks with 17 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback hits.
Micah Parsons Strongly Supports Lukas Van Ness
GettyThe Green Bay Packers are hopeful Lukas Van Ness truly breaks out during the 2026 NFL season.
It’s hard to envision Parsons providing Van Ness a stronger public statement of support. But it’s also more than fair that pundits are “sleeping” on Van Ness.
Based on previous production, expectations are understandable lower for the former first-round edge rusher. The 24-year-old has never had more than four sacks in a single season.
The Packers, though, will likely need a lot more than that from Van Ness this fall. The 2023 first-rounder could be Green Bay’s top edge rusher to begin the 2026 campaign.
That will be the case if Parsons starts the season on the PUP list in September.
Like Parsons, the Packers still seem very confident in Van Ness. On April 30, the Packers exercised the edge rusher’s fifth-year option.
With that decision, the Packers agreed to pay Van Ness $13.752 million for the 2027 season.
Packers Edge Rushing Depth Entering 2026
GettyGreen Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons delivers a strong, clear message on teammate Lukas Van Ness.
Parsons and Van Ness sit at the top of Green Bay’s edge rusher depth chat entering 2026. The Packers could feel good about that as long as Parsons is health.
The problem is Parsons isn’t healthy. He also might not be on the field until close to the mid-season point.
Green Bay’s All-Pro edge rusher told reporters Wednesday he is following a “nine-month rule” where he will not play or practice any football. Parsons explained that nine-month period started the day of his surgery, which was December 29.
That means, if Parsons continues to follow this rule, he won’t be back on the practice field until September 30.
If Parsons begins the season on the PUP list, he won’t be back until at least Week 5. It could be longer, though, based on how much practice he needs before playing a game.
That’s why pundits have linked the Packers to external veteran edge rushers, such as Sweat, this offseason. Behind Van Ness, the Packers have more unproven commodities at the position.
That list includes Brenton Cox Jr., Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver. The Packers could also work in fourth-round rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton to the edge rusher rotation.
That’s not exactly an impressive group. So, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Packers add another veteran edge rusher. The team, though, appears content to at least see what the group can do this spring.
That makes some sense given how much confidence the Packers, especially Parsons, has in Van Ness.
Micah Parsons Delivers Strong Message on Packers’ Lukas Van Ness