Jadeveon Clowney? Josh Sweat? Latest on Packers’ Need for Pass Rusher

Two things can be true at once.

The first is the Green Bay Packers appear to have a major need at edge rusher. With Micah Parsons expected to miss most of the first half of the season, the team’s potentially feeble pass rush could be the demise of its playoff hopes.

The second is time is not of the essence in adding a pass rusher.

There’s no need for general manager Brian Gutekunst to rush into the veteran market, which explains why he hasn’t done so. No, the Packers aren’t on the cusp of signing Jadeveon Clowney or trading for Josh Sweat.

Do the Packers need another pass rusher to get them through the absence of Parsons?

Maybe.

But maybe not. Training camp and the preseason will answer that question.

Packers Have Pass-Rushing Potential

There is reason to be excited about Green Bay’s players on the edge.

Lukas Van Ness had four sacks as a rookie but, rather than ascending, had three sacks in 2024 and just 1.5 in a half-season in 2025. The pressure numbers were solid, though, and he was excellent during the offseason practices.

Now that he’s being thrust into the leading-man role, maybe his game is ready to take off.

“I definitely think I’m going to have my hands full with Luke on who’s going to be the best,” Parsons said at minicamp. “I believe in him. I think sometimes he looks into y’all and that gets to him, but I think he can be as great as he wants to be.”

Barryn Sorrell, who had 1.5 sacks as a fourth-round pick last year, is expected to be the other starter until Parsons returns. His best season in college was a mediocre six sacks in 16 games as a senior at Texas, but perhaps an offseason spent hanging around Parsons will rub off on him.

“Barryn, he already has the mindset that he’s going to be a top-tier player, and I love that about him,” Parsons said.

Collin Oliver also spent the offseason with Parsons. He had zero sacks in his one and only appearance as a fifth-round pick last year but was a high-impact player at Oklahoma State. He had 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for losses as a freshman and 22.5 sacks and 38.5 tackles for losses during his first three seasons but missed most of his senior season with a foot injury.

Between his final season of college and his first season in the NFL, he’s played in three games the last two years. He sat out OTAs and minicamp due to injury, as well.

The trade of Preston Smith in 2024 opened the door for Brenton Cox, who took advantage with four sacks in seven games. His pressure rate was truly elite. Last season, though, he suffered a groin injury in Week 1. He returned to action late in the season and had a sack in Week 18.

“Great,” he said of his performance during OTAs and minicamp. “Getting to the quarterback almost every other play. So, no problem on that.”

Veteran Options

There’s no doubt Gutekunst has a ready list at his fingertips. Just because he hasn’t grabbed a veteran doesn’t mean he’s oblivious to the potential problems.

While Saints legend Cameron Jordan recently re-signed with New Orleans, there’s a solid group of pass rushers available/potentially available. (Ages are as of Sept. 1.)

Joey Bosa (31): Bosa might be learning toward retirement. Then again, you never know what he’d say if he got a phone call at the end of training camp.

After playing in a combined 14 games in 2022 and 2023, Bosa played in 14 games for the Chargers in 2024 and 15 games for the Bills in 2025. He had five sacks and 16 quarterback hits last season. Of 86 edge rushers with at least 225 pass-rushing opportunities, he ranked 20th in pass-rush win rate and 32nd in pass-rushing productivity, a PFF metric that combines sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Jadeveon Clowney (33): Clowney is a mercenary at this point in his career. He’ll be playing for his fifth team in as many years. All he does is produce, though, with 8.5 sacks last season for Dallas. He finished 13th in pass-rush win rate and third in pass-rushing productivity.

“An experienced veteran that’s played at a really high level for a really long time,” coach Matt LaFleur said before last year’s game at Dallas. “Obviously, he has been a game-wrecker in the past and certainly is capable of doing some really good things for them.”

Haason Reddick (31): Reddick’s best season was in 2022, when Jonathan Gannon was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator and Reddick starred with 16 sacks and 26 quarterback hits. He had 11 sacks for the Eagles in 2023 but only one in 10 games for the Jets in 2024 and 2.5 in 13 games for the Buccaneers in 2025.

Reddick finished 46th in pass-rush win rate and 59th in pass-rush productivity. That’s not very good, obviously, but he knows the expectations of Gannon’s scheme and has a lot of experience dropping into coverage.

Kyle Van Noy (35): Van Noy spent the last three seasons with the Ravens. He had nine sacks in 14 games in 2023, 12.5 sacks in 16 games in 2024 but only two sacks in 15 games last season. He was 82nd in pass-rush win rate and 80th in pass-rush productivity. Especially during his two stints with the Patriots, he played extensively in coverage.

A source close to one of the four free agents listed above said he’s talked to the Packers but didn’t get the “sense they were interested at this moment.”

Josh Sweat (29): While the others are free agents, Sweat remains with the Cardinals. Arizona pulled the plug on trade rumors, and for good reason. He’s one of the team’s top defensive players with 12 sacks and four forced fumbles last season.

“I know he can impact the game, which is one of the reasons we signed him,” Gannon said last year.

A source thought Sweat could be available at the trade deadline if Mike LaFleur’s team struggles out of the gates, which is the expectation. By that time, though, Parsons will be back or close to it and the Packers might not need pass-rush help.

The Last Word

Gutekunst has been active in the trade market but only at the end of training camp.

In 2024, after neither Sean Clifford nor Michael Pratt took the bull by the horns at quarterback, he traded for Malik Willis.

In 2025, Gutekunst, of course, traded for Parsons, but he also acquired offensive lineman Darian Kinnard after Green Bay’s depth on the line was either injured or didn’t develop.

Gutekunst’s history is that he’ll let training camp and the preseason play out. If the pass rush is putrid, that might be the time to make a move.

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTER

Add us as a preferred source on Google