Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas van Ness is on the sideline during the second half against the Broncos on Dec. 14 in Denver. (AP file photo)

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Lukas Van Ness acknowledges his career hasn’t gone the way he expected when the Green Bay Packers selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 draft.

Van Ness wants to change that trajectory. He certainly has the opportunity.

The Packers need someone to chase opposing quarterbacks while All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons misses the start of the season to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Van Ness’ status as a recent first-round pick makes him an obvious contender, but he has totaled only 8 ½ sacks over his first three seasons.

“It’s probably not been my ideal career if you would have talked to me in 2023 when I was a fresh rookie coming in here, but everyone’s got their own process and their own path,” Van Ness said last week during the Packers’ mandatory minicamp. “I’ve trusted the path. I feel really good about where I’m at.”

Van Ness had four sacks in a promising rookie season but had just three in 2024 and 1 ½ in an injury-shortened 2025. He played just nine games last season after getting carted off the field with a foot injury in an Oct. 12 victory over Cincinnati, though he had a sack in Green Bay’s playoff loss at Chicago.

Now he’s healthy again and hoping to fill a void for Green Bay, which went winless after Parsons’ Dec. 14 injury last season. The Packers traded Rashan Gary to Dallas and lost Kingsley Enagbare to the New York Jets in free agency, leaving them without many proven edge rushers as they await Parsons’ return.

They need Van Ness to live up to his draft position.

“I think pressure is a privilege to have,” Van Ness said. “We’re obviously in a blessed position where there’s people watching our spot and people are obviously going to have their own opinions, but at the end of the day I think you’ve just got to believe in yourself and believe in what you’re hearing in the building from your coaches and from your circle and other players in the defensive room.”

Those people have offered praise.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur says Van Ness has “shown a ton of growth” and points out that it’s typical for pass rushers to need some time to get going. Quarterback Jordan Love believes Van Ness is “in a great spot.”

“He puts the work in and he’s a guy that he’s always making practice hard on us,” Love said. “I think for him his get-off is what I’m noticing right now, his speed around the edge, so I’m excited about it.”

Parsons is perhaps Van Ness’ biggest booster. Parsons was discussing Green Bay’s pass rushers with reporters two weeks ago when he noted that “I definitely think I’m going to have my hands full with Luke on who’s going to be best,” assuming Van Ness stays healthy.

“I think Luke is someone that people sleep on the most, and I don’t know why,” Parsons said.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl