Matt LaFleur is going deep into his bag to try and get the most out of Lukas Van Ness. Since Van Ness was drafted in 2023 in the first round, he hasn’t quite been the impactful player, first-round selections typically are. Which is now forcing LaFleur to get creative in how he can get the most out of the EDGE rusher.
When the Packers drafted Van Ness, he played opposite of Rashan Gary and was supposed to be the player that capitalized off the attention Gary was getting. But he just has seven sacks in his first two seasons. LaFleur was ready to make some changes for Van Ness’s third NFL season.
LaFleur confirmed that in obvious passing situations, Van Ness could move to the interior of the defensive line. You can’t blame LaFleur trying everything he possibly can to get the most out of Van Ness. This could be the last chance Van Ness has to prove he’s worth an extension in Green Bay.
"Yeah, I think situationally you can do that," LaFleur said, h/t NFL.com. "I think in known passing situations there's some thought around that. A lot of it's gonna be dependent on everybody else, as well. Lukas has shown a lot of growth and I'm excited to see him once we get pads on, and really all those guys how they compete."
Lukas Van Ness one last shot to avoid being a first-round bust after slow start to NFL career
Van Ness is on the verge of being a bust after the Packers selected him in the first round of the 2023 draft. Over the last few seasons, Green Bay had a lot of turnover on its defensive line and Van Ness is on the verge of being the next casualty. He was supposed to be the future EDGE rusher that anchored the pass rush. Instead, he might not make it past his rookie contract in Green Bay.
Sometimes changes are needed to pull the best out of players. In this case, LaFleur is hoping maybe his speed and athleticism will translate better on the interior than off the edge. The good thing is the Packers’ defensive scheme might benefit him as an undersized interior defensive lineman.
Because the ideal defensive tackles are upwards of 300 pounds, Van Ness at 275 pounds has to be technically sound. He has to work on his get-off speed, beating the bigger centers and guards off the snap. And when he does engage them, he has to nearly master his leverage and hand usage.
That’s what made Aaron Donald one of the most feared defensive lineman before he retired. Van Ness, though he’s no Donald, can utilize his speed and strength to beat out interior offensive lineman. His draft profile suggests he could carve out a nice career as an interior threat.
He has all the strengths to be destructive. And now he might have new faith and confidence to regain his form. He’s not a lost cause yet. But LaFleur changing his position is a last ditch effort to see if Van Ness can be the game changer the Packers always hoped he’d be.