Round One - Lukas Van Ness

[MoMM]

He's probably not, we all knew this season for him was likely to be akin to Gary's 1st year as the 3rd or 4th Edge rusher. The difference then though was that team was an NFCCG team and not a rebuilding squad like our current situation. No reason to play an aging washed up vet over Van Ness

There is a reason, our DC wants to keep his job.

Yep. Barry is trying to win now and that's a mistake. This year should be all about development. Trade any vet who won't be here in 2025 imo and play the young guys

That's on the GM, he should be the one limiting the options to our DC.

Our DC has a terrible track record as a DC, so he need to try to win as much as possible, otherwise he won't get any job in the future, considering that he will be dismissed as a scapegoat (which in fact he is).

[BUCKnation]

Frankly its hard to judge any DL year one.

[ReasonablySober]

Something interesting happened during the season with LVN.

He started the year playing OLB. First half of the season he played 140 snaps at ROLB. He had 7 snaps as down lineman.

That reversed itself in the second half of the season. He played 15 snaps at ROLB, but played 159 at RE with his hand in the dirt. He played 31 snaps on the line on Sunday, 0 snaps at OLB.

This tracks with what I've thought about LVN from the start. He's a lineman.

I think this is important when you consider the draft. If they can nab a guy to play next to LVN on the edge, I think it'd be very valuable to completing the front seven.

[MVP2110]

Something interesting happened during the season with LVN.

He started the year playing OLB. First half of the season he played 140 snaps at ROLB. He had 7 snaps as down lineman.

That reversed itself in the second half of the season. He played 15 snaps at ROLB, but played 159 at RE with his hand in the dirt. He played 31 snaps on the line on Sunday, 0 snaps at OLB.

This tracks with what I've thought about LVN from the start. He's a lineman.

I think this is important when you consider the draft. If they can nab a guy to play next to LVN on the edge, I think it'd be very valuable to completing the front seven.

To add on to this, if the Packers consider LVN a linemen as opposed to a OLB, then Dline really isn't a need in the slightest this offseason. They'll bring back Clark, Slaton, Wyatt, Brooks, and Wooden, plus you add LVN to that group and you're at 6 guys who are basically roster locks. I think Saturdays game against San Fran will be telling in how they use him with Enagbare out.

[coolhandluke121]

Something interesting happened during the season with LVN.

He started the year playing OLB. First half of the season he played 140 snaps at ROLB. He had 7 snaps as down lineman.

That reversed itself in the second half of the season. He played 15 snaps at ROLB, but played 159 at RE with his hand in the dirt. He played 31 snaps on the line on Sunday, 0 snaps at OLB.

This tracks with what I've thought about LVN from the start. He's a lineman.

I think this is important when you consider the draft. If they can nab a guy to play next to LVN on the edge, I think it'd be very valuable to completing the front seven.

To add on to this, if the Packers consider LVN a linemen as opposed to a OLB, then Dline really isn't a need in the slightest this offseason. They'll bring back Clark, Slaton, Wyatt, Brooks, and Wooden, plus you add LVN to that group and you're at 6 guys who are basically roster locks. I think Saturdays game against San Fran will be telling in how they use him with Enagbare out.

I think Gary's snap count and Preston's slow start also had something to do with LVN playing more edge early in the season, plus at some point I think they realized that they had to concede the point on Wyatt being a JAG despite the draft capital they invested in him. No question LVN has been much better than him already, with 1 less year of experience and more than 3 years younger no less, so they may just be trying to get their best players on the field.

I think LVN, Clark, Brooks, Smith, and Gary will be the primary guys in the front four next season, with Wyatt, Slaton, Cox, Wooden, and eventually (when healthy) Enagbare for depth.

[ReasonablySober]

Something interesting happened during the season with LVN.

He started the year playing OLB. First half of the season he played 140 snaps at ROLB. He had 7 snaps as down lineman.

That reversed itself in the second half of the season. He played 15 snaps at ROLB, but played 159 at RE with his hand in the dirt. He played 31 snaps on the line on Sunday, 0 snaps at OLB.

This tracks with what I've thought about LVN from the start. He's a lineman.

I think this is important when you consider the draft. If they can nab a guy to play next to LVN on the edge, I think it'd be very valuable to completing the front seven.

To add on to this, if the Packers consider LVN a linemen as opposed to a OLB, then Dline really isn't a need in the slightest this offseason. They'll bring back Clark, Slaton, Wyatt, Brooks, and Wooden, plus you add LVN to that group and you're at 6 guys who are basically roster locks. I think Saturdays game against San Fran will be telling in how they use him with Enagbare out.

I think Gary's snap count and Preston's slow start also had something to do with LVN playing more edge early in the season, plus at some point I think they realized that they had to concede the point on Wyatt being a JAG despite the draft capital they invested in him. No question LVN has been much better than him already, with 1 less year of experience and more than 3 years younger no less, so they may just be trying to get their best players on the field.

I think LVN, Clark, Brooks, Smith, and Gary will be the primary guys in the front four next season, with Wyatt, Slaton, Cox, Wooden, and eventually (when healthy) Enagbare for depth.

Wyatt was arguably the team's best pass rusher this season. He especially came on strong late, with 17 hurries in the 2nd half of the season.

He misses too many tackles vs the run, but he's still very valuable.

[MVP2110]

To add on to this, if the Packers consider LVN a linemen as opposed to a OLB, then Dline really isn't a need in the slightest this offseason. They'll bring back Clark, Slaton, Wyatt, Brooks, and Wooden, plus you add LVN to that group and you're at 6 guys who are basically roster locks. I think Saturdays game against San Fran will be telling in how they use him with Enagbare out.

I think Gary's snap count and Preston's slow start also had something to do with LVN playing more edge early in the season, plus at some point I think they realized that they had to concede the point on Wyatt being a JAG despite the draft capital they invested in him. No question LVN has been much better than him already, with 1 less year of experience and more than 3 years younger no less, so they may just be trying to get their best players on the field.

I think LVN, Clark, Brooks, Smith, and Gary will be the primary guys in the front four next season, with Wyatt, Slaton, Cox, Wooden, and eventually (when healthy) Enagbare for depth.

Wyatt was arguably the team's best pass rusher this season. He especially came on strong late, with 17 hurries in the 2nd half of the season.

He misses too many tackles vs the run, but he's still very valuable.

I think Wyatt & Slaton are solid platoon mates. Slaton is much better against the run than Wyatt is & Wyatt is a much better pass rusher than Slaton. So on run downs you can use Slaton and on pass downs you turn to Wyatt. Hope Brooks grows into that all around guy and then just use Wooden as a depth piece who really should only be rushing the passer.

[coolhandluke121]

Wyatt was arguably the team's best pass rusher this season. He especially came on strong late, with 17 hurries in the 2nd half of the season.

He misses too many tackles vs the run, but he's still very valuable.

I think Wyatt & Slaton are solid platoon mates. Slaton is much better against the run than Wyatt is & Wyatt is a much better pass rusher than Slaton. So on run downs you can use Slaton and on pass downs you turn to Wyatt. Hope Brooks grows into that all around guy and then just use Wooden as a depth piece who really should only be rushing the passer.

Brooks has already convinced me that he's that guy. He fights hard, moves well, plays stronger than his size, and finishes plays. I think he might be on steroids though. There's something kind of juiced about his play lately, especially chasing down ball-carriers.

Wyatt gets pretty close to the QB a few times a game, but I never feel like he's going to finish the play (against the pass or run, for that matter), and the QB almost always gets away or makes the throw without too much discomfort. I just don't see actual impact there. And even on those plays where he makes a decent pass rush, I'm saying to myself "Hey, Wyatt finally did something, I had completely forgotten about him."

[LUKE23]

I feel like the Packers personnel is more suited for a 4-3. I wonder if they look that direction once Barry is (hopefully) fired.

[jimmybones]

Another pro in the LVN on the DL category is I could totally see him throwing 10 lbs on his frame without losing athleticism. He's more impressive athletically as a DL than as a big EDGE

[TroyD92]

Do any teams really just run base 3-4 or 4-3 at this point? Feel like they are all pretty mixed.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Packers basically run a 5-2 on rush downs.

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[Ron Swanson]

"Hand in the dirt" LVN was definitely something talked about a lot by the scouts pre-draft. He was arguably as good of a run defender as any edge rusher in the Big-10. It's why I was pretty high on the pick in general. The athletic/size combo and his versatility. Getting an actual innovative defensive coordinator in here to maximize LVN and Quay has to be the priority this offseason.

[ReasonablySober]

Two seasons in, and so far he's an enormous bust. Gonzalez or Nolan Smith should have been the pick.

[MoMM]

It seems the best idea is to trade him for another bust from the same draft class, maybe a different scenario might help.

[humanrefutation]

It seemed the consensus around the time he was drafted was that the Packers reached with LVN. Looks like they were right. He's been a major disappointment.

My preference was JSN. Gonzalez would have been a great pick too.

[CWoodfan]

Maybe things change for LVN in year 3.

If not, is he the worst 1st round pick since ... Datone Jones? Someone else?

[Profound23]

It seemed the consensus around the time he was drafted was that the Packers reached with LVN. Looks like they were right. He's been a major disappointment.

My preference was JSN. Gonzalez would have been a great pick too.

JSN, Broderick Jones, or LaPorta were my preferences.

Imagine drafting LaPorta over Van Ness then Kraft in the second round. Maybe they take a Brian Branch or Joe Tippman over Musgrave....or maybe they don't draft Kraft at all. Shows how every pick creates a domino effect.

I will give LVN one more year but I don't trust him or Jordan Morgan.

[zmanishere11]

Raw player who looks like Hercules and has two entrenched starters in front of him. Makes total sense with a new QB to invest in the D.

Plan is to coach him up.

The coach is Joe Barry.

I rest my case

Coordinator's don't develop players, that's on the position coaches for the most part. And they've had a lot of success developing Edge guys in the last few years. Rashan Gary has been great, JJ Enagbare was a productive for a day 3 guy, and even Justin Hollins was a solid midseason find who contributed. I have plenty of faith GB will develop him into a really good player. Now will Barry use him right? I have no idea but hopefully the next guy will when Barry inevitably gets fired

Rashaan Gary has 22 sacks in 3.5 years and we are about to give him $100 mil coming off an ACL.

This is very much the exact same pick.

Gary is a nice player currently, but don't you want more production out of guys you draft with high first round picks?

That is my problem.

Lots of great takes here. JSN haunting us

[M-C-G]

Coordinator's don't develop players, that's on the position coaches for the most part. And they've had a lot of success developing Edge guys in the last few years. Rashan Gary has been great, JJ Enagbare was a productive for a day 3 guy, and even Justin Hollins was a solid midseason find who contributed. I have plenty of faith GB will develop him into a really good player. Now will Barry use him right? I have no idea but hopefully the next guy will when Barry inevitably gets fired

Rashaan Gary has 22 sacks in 3.5 years and we are about to give him $100 mil coming off an ACL.

This is very much the exact same pick.

Gary is a nice player currently, but don't you want more production out of guys you draft with high first round picks?

That is my problem.

Lots of great takes here. JSN haunting us

JSN the same guy everyone was calling a bust last year and now is seen as a top 15 WR JSN?