​Few players on Green Bay’s roster enter 2026 under a brighter spotlight than Lukas Van Ness.As Bill Huber of Packers On SI recently noted, the Packers’ biggest question on the edge isn’t just replacing early production while Micah Parsons recovers from a torn ACL. It’s whether Van Ness can finally become the impact pass rusher Green Bay envisioned when it made him a first-round pick.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe pressure is justified. Through three seasons, Van Ness has flashed elite traits, but hasn’t consistently translated them into production. He’s totaled just 8.5 sacks in his career, including only 1.5 last season. Needless to say, this is a pivotal year for him.To his credit, Van Ness isn’t shying away from those expectations. During minicamp, he acknowledged that his career hasn’t unfolded the way he envisioned but emphasized that he’s remained committed to the process.The opportunity is certainly there. With Parsons sidelined to begin the season, Green Bay needs someone to generate consistent pressure. Van Ness possesses the size, explosiveness and versatility that made him the 13th overall pick in 2023. What has been missing is week-to-week consistency and finishing plays in the backfield.The truth is, the time for “potential” is over. It’s time to produce. If Van Ness can convert his physical gifts into eight to 10 sacks while becoming a more disruptive presence against both the run and pass, he could dramatically change the outlook of Green Bay’s defense. If not, questions about whether he’ll ever justify his draft status will only grow louder.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThree concerning questions for the Packers – The Packers will have a massive void on the edge to open training camp and the regular season. Will they be able to survive?Packers rank 15th on offseason power rankings – Green Bay has a good, deep roster and has made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons. But they’re stuck in a weird rut.“Immobile for two months”: Packers legend opens up – David Bakhtiari sheds light on “horrendous” injury that changed his life and careerGuard is the biggest unknown on Packers OL – When training camp gets rolling in late July, the one big question will be at guard among the big boys up front.