Packers' Latest Free Agency Link Would Be Bad News for Lukas Van Ness

The pressure is on for the former Iowa Hawkeye star to live up to his first-round billing.

Aug 26, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Lukas Van Ness (90) during the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Former Iowa Hawkeyes star pass rusher Lukas Van Ness is starting to feel the pressure of becoming a first-round bust. After nabbing 13.5 sacks in two seasons back at Iowa, he’s only recorded seven in two seasons with the Packers, which could open up the door for Green Bay to add another pass rusher to their defense before the season begins.

Bleacher Report recently suggested the Packers should target free agent veteran Jadeveon Clowney to compensate for Van Ness’s lack of production. Clowney is something of a first-round bust himself after going No. 1 overall to Houston in 2014. However, he’s had a couple of solid seasons, most recently in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens, where he recorded 9.5 sacks.

Of course, Van Ness is entering just his third season in the NFL. The Packers have long held a standard of building through the draft, and in doing so, exercise patience with their draft picks. 

As a prime example, Rashan Gary, the pass rusher opposite of Van Ness, recorded just seven sacks himself after being a first-round pick in 2019. Gary is now a cornerstone of the Green Bay defense heading into his seventh season, even if he isn’t mentioned among the elite edge defenders in the league.

That patience doesn’t come without the pressure to perform, though. The Packers did bring in Whitney Mercilus in 2021 to help out the pass rush. In turn, Gary had his breakout season and grabbed 9.5 sacks that season. A similar situation for Van Ness in 2025 could be what gives him a kick in the pants to get his career going.

In concerns to Clowney, the 11-year vet has just 58 career sacks and hasn’t enjoyed much postseason success. If he were to sign with Green Bay, it’d be to compete for a prominent role to chase a Super Bowl title, not to mentor Van Ness into becoming a better pass rusher. With that in mind, Clowney wouldn’t be a long-term replacement, but if he were brought in and outperformed Van Ness in any regard, the Iowa product would certainly see his time in Green Bay come to a quick end.

Nonetheless, Van Ness needs to see a serious uptick in his production this season to avoid the bust label that is growing an attachment to his name. After all, the Packers didn’t select him No. 13 overall to be at best sixth on the team in sacks along the defensive front.