Packers Training Camp Preview: Defensive End Battles, X-Factor, Game-Changer

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ lackluster pass rush last season stemmed from the lackluster production provided by their two biggest investments, Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness.

With the first practice set for Wednesday, here is our Packers training camp preview of the defensive ends.

Coming and Going

The group that finished the season following the midseason trade of Preston Smith – Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox and Arron Mosby – are back together again.

The team not only added Barryn Sorrell in the fourth round and Collin Oliver in the fifth round, there’s a new position coach, with DeMarcus Covington replacing Jason Rebrovich.

Biggest Battle: Bottom of the Depth Chart

Barring a trade, it’s almost inconceivable that the Packers would enter the season with anyone other than Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare filling the first three spots in the rotation. So, that makes the battle for the last two or three spots. That will be a four-man competition.

The trade-deadline deal that sent Preston Smith to the Steelers meant Brenton Cox finally got on the field, and he delivered four sacks during the second half of the season. Arron Mosby is back, as well, and the team used its fourth-round pick on Texas’ steady Barryn Sorrell and its fifth-round pick on Oklahoma State’s undersized but explosive Collin Oliver.

The rookies are interesting. Sorrell fits the Packers’ preference for being big and physical. A solid pass rusher in college, his value lies in being a three-down player because of his toughness against the run. With Enagbare entering his final season under contract, he could fill that kind of role.

Oliver was the centerpiece of Oklahoma State’s defense because of his playmaking ability; Cowboys coach Mike Gundy compared him to Christian McCaffrey. He produced as an edge rusher and off-the-ball linebacker. The coaches will have to figure out how he fits; that he missed the offseason practices and is on the PUP list to open training camp won’t help.

Game-Changer: Rashan Gary

Rashan Gary is coming off his first Pro Bowl season. Now, can he post his first 10-sack season? Or, better yet, can he be the type of pass rusher that gets home on fourth down in a do-or-die 2-minute drive?

Gary is a good player. When the Packers signed him to a four-year contract extension worth $96 million in the middle of the 2023 season, they no doubt thought they were locking up a player who was on his way to becoming great.

Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary (52) tackles Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28). | Wm. Glasheen -Imagn Images

The trend was encouraging. In 2021, Gary ranked among the NFL leaders with 81 pressures, according to PFF. In 2022, he had six sacks in nine games before tearing his ACL at Detroit. In an impressive comeback, Gary played in all 17 games in 2023 and had nine sacks and 22 quarterback hits.

A year removed from the injury, there were enormous expectations for Gary at this time a year ago. Instead, in 17 games, he had 7.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. His 47 pressures were 13 fewer than in 2023 and only nine more than in 2022. At least he set a career high with nine tackles for losses, a sign of his strong run defense.

Gary is entering Year 7 in the NFL. Only kicker Brandon McManus and defensive tackle Kenny Clark have more experience.

“It’s something that I’ve naturally grown into and seen,” he said. “It’s funny now, because I’m in Year 7, guys looking up to me, but it’s something I’ve been doing. I see something, I try to correct it. I try to first off lead myself, and that’s basically starting fast from individual (drills) all the way through team (drills) because everybody feeds off of me. So, I’m just enjoying it, man. It’s nothing that I didn’t expect. It’s something I worked hard for and prayed for, so I’m just living in the position I want to be in.”

X-Factor: Lukas Van Ness

A lot has been written and said about Lukas Van Ness. In the Aaron Rodgers trade, the Packers moved up from No. 15 to No. 13 and selected Van Ness. In two seasons, he has seven sacks and 16 quarterback hits. At No. 15, the Jets selected Will McDonald. Last season alone, he had 10.5 sacks and 24 quarterback hits.

Van Ness has been nothing short of mediocre. There are reasons, of course. As a rookie, he played as a stand-up outside linebacker in the old 3-4 scheme, which was foreign to him. He should have felt more at home with the move to the 4-3 last year, but a broken thumb sustained during the offseason workouts thwarted him for much of the season.

In 2025, Van Ness is healthy. He’s in Year 2 of the scheme. And he has a new voice with new position coach DeMarcus Covington.

“More than anything, it’s just mentality, teaching us that we’ve got to be aggressive,” Van Ness said. “It all starts up front. He always says it’s three things: It’s the start. It’s the fight zone. It’s the finish. If you can do all those at a very high level – and he does say that effort can take away from those mistakes. We’re just priding ourselves on playing fast and making plays in the backfield.”

Under the Radar: Brenton Cox

Green Bay Packers defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. (57) celebrates his tackle for loss at the Chicago Bears. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As an undrafted rookie in 2023, Brenton Cox played in four games and didn’t record a single tackle. In 2024, he made the 53-man roster but was a healthy scratch for the first half of the season until the midseason trade of Preston Smith.

Playing in seven games down the stretch, Cox had four sacks. Lukas Van Ness had three sacks in 17 games. Kingsley Enagbare had 4.5 sacks in 17 games that included seven starts.

The productivity runs deeper. As we noted in our player rankings, 131 edge defenders played at least 97 pass-rushing snaps (Cox’s number) last season. According to PFF, Cox was second in pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. Only Detroit star Aidan Hutchinson was better. Plus, he was 12th in pass-rush win rate.

It was a small sample size, to be sure, but Cox would be a real weapon if he can be remotely as impactful in, say, 197 pass-rushing snaps.

Noteworthy Number

Last year, Green Bay’s three primary defensive ends, Rashan Gary, Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness, combined for 15 sacks. Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson had 17.5 sacks by himself.

Betting Odds

At DraftKings, Rashan Gary is +7500 to lead the NFL in sacks. That’s tied for the 22nd-shortest odds; Lions star Aidan Hutchinson is the favorite at +500.

Roster Projection

Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Brenton Cox, Barryn Sorrell.

Key to Success: First-Round Picks Playing Like First-Round Picks

Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver could become impact players, Kingsley Enagbare could find another gear and Brenton Cox could be the secret weapon.

Maybe. But probably not. For Green Bay’s pass rush to become consistently more productive, it will be up to former first-round picks Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness to step up. Based on how the Packers went through the offseason, they will be the Week 1 starters against the Lions.

It’s not just the sacks. The 12th overall pick and eighth defensive player selected in 2019, Gary is 15th in the draft class with 39 tackles for losses. Raiders star Maxx Crosby has 105. The 13th overall pick and fifth defensive player selected in 2023, Van Ness is tied for 10th in the draft class with 14 tackles for losses. Seven players drafted after Van Ness have more.

First-round picks – especially those players selected in the first half of the round – must be difference-makers. The Packers need more from both.

Packers Position Previews