Ranking Every Player on Packers’ Roster, Part 15: ‘Pressure Is a Privilege’

Part 15 of our annual countdown of the Green Bay Packers’ 90-man roster includes three former first-round picks and two players signed in free agency.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) is sacked by Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers will take a 90-player roster to the field for their first practice of training camp on July 23.

In a Packers On SI tradition, we are ranking every player on the roster. This isn’t just a list of the best players. Rather, we take talent, contract, draft history, importance of the position and depth at the position into consideration.

More than the ranking, we hope you learn a little something about every player on the roster.

No. 20: G/T Jordan Morgan

The Packers didn’t burn a first-round pick on Jordan Morgan last year to have a two-year backup. They drafted him to start, and he’ll get his opportunity in training camp. While he will challenge incumbent starter Rasheed Walker at left tackle, his best opportunity to play will be at right guard, where Sean Rhyan started last season.

Morgan was a nonfactor as a rookie due to a recurring shoulder injury. He got considerable playing time at right guard in five games before starting at left guard in Week 9 against Detroit. That would be Morgan’s final snaps of the season, though. The injury required surgery, and Morgan missed the rest of the season.

When he played, Morgan wasn’t especially impressive, with the injury and resulting loss of practice time certainly a factor in his performance. He’ll need to be better to win a starting job, because Walker and Rhyan aren’t slouches.

Morgan was an excellent left tackle in college at Arizona. He didn’t really get a chance at that spot as a rookie. Why does he have a chance to succeed at that position in the NFL, even though his short arms would make him a rarity.

“The same thing you see, right?” offensive line coach Luke Butkus replied. “How athletic he is, how easy he moves and how smooth it looks. Sometimes it looks like he’s not straining or playing hard. I think it’s just natural, it’s easy for him to just move, to gain ground, to just skim the blades of the grass. It’s effortless. Where, a guy like me, it looks clunky and robotic. But really like where he’s headed and the direction he’s going.”

No. 19: K Brandon McManus

For most of 16 seasons, Mason Crosby was one of the best kickers in the NFL. After the 2022 season, the Packers decided it was time for a fresh leg. In 2023, they drafted Anders Carlson, who bombed. At the end of training camp in 2024, they took a shot on Brayden Narveson, who was even worse.

Finally, enough was enough and general manager Brian Gutekunst found a real kicker. With Brandon McManus cleared by the league of off-the-field allegations, Green Bay signed the veteran. After staying ready by kicking at a light pole – he did this offseason, too – McManus hardly could have been better.

Last season, 31 kickers attempted at least 20 field goals. McManus made 21-of-22 for a league-best 95.5 percent. He wasn’t just accurate. He was clutch. He booted game-winning field goals against Houston and Jacksonville and would have had another against Chicago if not for bad clock management and a defensive breakdown.

While McManus had a costly miss in the playoff loss to the Eagles, the Packers wisely re-signed him before free agency.

“Mason obviously had a phenomenal career here,” he said during minicamp. “That’s always a difficult thing when one person leaves and everyone has expectations – and expectations are good because this is the professionals. We try to meet them.

“I know some people, you never get a chance. I was cut after 12 weeks and was signed back a week later. But sometimes it takes some failure to have someone succeed. I know that’s difficult for fan bases and people to go through that. I went through that myself and just have to earn back the trust from everyone.

“You’re playing for each other in that locker room. You don’t want them to look at you and you see it in their eyes. That’ll continue to bleed into you and your confidence. The kicking position is difficult, but this is the professionals and pressure is a privilege. And I’m privileged to be in this spot to kick field goals for one of the best franchises in the world.”

No. 18: LB Quay Walker

Former first-round pick Quay Walker might not be the Packers’ best linebacker but he’s the most interesting.

After being ejected from a couple games as a rookie, Walker took up meditation. He’s exceedingly hard on himself and is guilty of overthinking.

“I think I just do too much thinking, being honest with you, instead of going out there and just play,” Walker said after a big-time performance against the Dolphins last season. “Anytime I can play without doing any thinking – not that (defensive coordinator Jeff) Hafley’s making me think or whatever the case may be – just be me trying to do everything right instead of just lining up and just playing. Anytime I have that mindset, see it, go, I can be a real, real productive player. I don’t want to give myself too much credit but that’s how I see it.”

Walker’s had a turbulent first three seasons of his career. He’s been good – perhaps not as good as the Packers keep saying and not as bad as many fans believe – but not consistently dominant. Just when things were perhaps coming together for him last year, he missed three games down the stretch with an ankle injury.

In 13 games, he led the team with 102 tackles. His 5.54 solo tackles per game ranked fifth in the NFL. He is No. 2 in the 2022 draft class with 341 tackles and one of only two players with at least 225 tackles and 20 tackles for losses.

The Packers declined the fifth-year option on his contract, meaning he’s scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season. That was more of a dollars-and-cents determination by the team than a signal it’s ready to go in another direction. GM Brian Gutekunst has said he wants Walker for the long haul.

“I think it was starting to get more comfortable in the scheme, right?” linebackers coach Sean Duggan said before OTAs. “The more you do certain things, you’re going to get better at it. You’re going to start to anticipate plays instead of reacting to plays.

“So, I think he’s going to be more comfortable just because every time now is the second or third time he’s heard something. And then just playing with confidence, going out there (and) knowing what you’re doing. Now, you’re kind of looking at the offense, kind of seeing, ‘All right, they’re in this formation. I’m expecting this,’ so I can play a step faster. So, confidence and just being comfortable in the scheme.”

This will be a big season for Walker as he chases the security of a long-term contract. He and Edgerrin Cooper could form one of the top tandems in the NFL, so long as Walker plays with a clear head.

“Just being more calm, man. Just having better awareness, pre-snap, stuff like that,” he said. “Whenever I just be calm instead of just trying to think – like I said, I’m an overthinker. I just think too much. So, that’s it, man. Just give myself a break, too. You know what I’m saying? Give myself a little grace. We’ll go from there. I don’t want to do too much because I’ve played better the past two weeks. Just want to stay humble and just see where I can go from here.”

No. 17: LG Aaron Banks

The Packers signed Aaron Banks in free agency to a four-year contract worth $77 million. At $19.25 million per season, he ranks sixth among guards in average salary.

The Packers gave great-player money to a player who hasn’t been great. It will be up to Banks to prove GM Brian Gutekunst was correct in his assessment that the big lineman has big things in store.

A second-round pick in 2021, Banks barely played as a rookie, then started 16 games in 2022, 14 games in 2023 and 13 games in 2024. Nonetheless, the Packers opened the vault for Banks and moved Elgton Jenkins to center.

“I was really excited when I heard that Green Bay was interested,” Banks said last month. “They’re a very competitive and young team. They’ve been in the playoffs the last few years, and they like to run the ball and they have a really good quarterback.”

Last season, 66 guards played at least 500 snaps. Banks ranked 36th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. PFF’s grades shouldn’t be treated as gospel but, for what it’s worth, he ranked 24th as a run blocker. He had one blown block in the run game, according to Sports Info Solutions, a top mark at the position.

With the 49ers, he was part of three teams that reached the NFC Championship Game, including the 2023 team, which beat the Packers in the divisional round and won the conference before losing to the Chiefs in overtime in the Super Bowl.

“I want to win a Super Bowl. That’s it,” Banks said. “Been close. Just want to win one.”

He believes he’s one of the missing pieces for the Packers to get over the hump.

“I feel like they’ve been so close,” he said. “They’ve been in the playoffs every year and it’s a young team and guys are only getting better. I think as the younger guys on this team start to become older guys and then we start to bring everybody along, I just think we’re really close. I think we have all the tools and all the pieces to get there; and not only get there but win it.”

No. 16: DE Lukas Van Ness

Lukas Van Ness, the Packers’ first-round pick in 2023, didn’t start a game at Iowa. He hasn’t started in two seasons with the Packers, either.

That should change this year. He spent the offseason running alongside Rashan Gary with the No. 1s. The Packers will need Van Ness to turn playing time into production.

When the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the Jets in 2023, they swapped first-round picks, moving up from No. 15 to No. 13. Green Bay took Van Ness, obviously; the Jets took another edge rusher, Will McDonald. The comparison is no comparison at all.

Sacks: Van Ness, 7; McDonald, 13.5 (10.5 in 2024).

QB hits: Van Ness, 16; McDonald, 29 (24 in 2024).

Tackles for losses: Van Ness, 14; McDonald, 15 (11 in 2024).

Forced fumbles: Van Ness, 1; McDonald, 3 (2 in 2024).

Pressures (PFF): Van Ness, 38; McDonald, 73 (61 in 2024).

There maybe are reasons. Van Ness had to acclimate to life as a stand-up pass rusher as a rookie under former defensive coordinator Joe Barry. Then, it was back to a hand-on-the-ground defensive end under the new defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley. A broken thumb suffered during an offseason practice lingered deep into the season.

There will be no excuses this year. It’s time for Van Ness to step up and help the team’s lackluster pass rush.

“This is the NFL. They say if you’re not doing something, somebody else is,” he said during OTAs. “I have very high expectations for myself and what I think I’m capable of, what I can do. Most importantly, it’s just coming in here every single day and being consistent, being a hard worker and just putting trust among the team that I can do the job.”

Van Ness was Green Bay’s Salute to Service nominee last season.

“My grandpa, Donald Van Ness, served as a lieutenant colonel for 27 years,” he said. “I’ve always believed that this platform we have, there’s a lot of brave men and women who are currently serving or who have served, and they put their lives on the line. They do a lot for us to enjoy and play this beautiful game. So, it’s an honor for me to have the ability to be nominated for this and really just a cool opportunity.”