Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Set to see increased role
Rotowire
Van Ness should see an increased role with the Packers' first-team defense following Preston Smith's trade to the Jets on Tuesday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports.
Van Ness served as a rotational edge rusher through the first nine games of the regular season while also contributing to special teams. However, following Smith's departure and assuming Green Bay doesn't add any other veteran edge rushers, Van Ness should start with the first-team defense alongside Rashan Gary and defensive tackles Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt. Van Ness -- the Packers' first-round selection of the 2023 NFL Draft -- has accumulated 20 tackles (14 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and one fumble recovery during the 2024 regular season.
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Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Back at practice
Rotowire
Van Ness (thumb) returned to practice at OTAs on Tuesday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.
Van Ness missed some time while recovering from a thumb fracture, but he's already back on the field. The 2023 first-round pick is coming off a rookie campaign in which he racked up 32 tackles (24 solo) and four sacks across 17 regular-season appearances.
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Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Dealing with thumb injury
Rotowire
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said Wednesday that Van Ness is dealing with a broken thumb, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.
LaFleur didn't specify when Van Ness suffered the injury, but he downplayed the severity of the issue by saying that the edge rusher "broke his thumb just a little bit." The 2023 first-round pick sat out Green Bay's voluntary OTA session Wednesday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, so it will be worth monitoring his involvement by the start of the team's mandatory minicamp June 11. Van Ness recorded 32 tackles and four sacks over 17 regular-season games during his rookie season.
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Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Ends with 4.0 sacks
Rotowire
Van Ness tallied 32 tackles (24 solo), 4.0 sacks and a pass defended over 17 games in the 2023 regular season.
Van Ness filled a complementary role for much of his rookie season, but he made his presence felt late in the campaign, racking up 3.0 sacks over the final six games of the regular season and another in Green Bay's playoff opener. Van Ness was taken with the 13th pick in the 2023 Draft, so the Packers figure to give him more opportunities in his second campaign.
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Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Limited at practice
Rotowire
Van Ness (elbow) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, Kassidy Hill of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Van Ness left Sunday's 25-24 loss at Atlanta early after sustaining an elbow injury, and it looks like the injury could affect his status for Week 3. The good news for him is that he still gets two more opportunities to practice in full before the Packers' final injury report is posted Friday.
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Packers' Lukas Van Ness: Suffers elbow injury Sunday
Rotowire
Van Ness is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Falcons due to an elbow injury.
Van Ness had two tackles, including one for loss, before leaving the contest. He was injured while trying to bring down Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but in Van Ness' absence, Kingsley Enagbare and Justin Hollins are candidates for increased roles.
