Get this: The Green Bay Packers are staring down a Sunday showdown with the New York Jets, and if Lukas Van Ness can’t go, they are losing a staggering 92 percent of their 2025 edge rusher snaps. Ninety-two percent! That’s not just a ding; that’s a full-blown crater heading into Week 2, leaving them relying on a seriously green crew. This isn’t just about one key guy; it’s about a complete gutting of their most experienced pass rush talent. You gotta wonder how they’re even gonna get to the QB.
The Vanishing Act: Where Did Everyone Go?
Van Ness, who’s questionable with a concussion after limited practice this week, is only one piece of this wild puzzle. Check out last year’s snap counts for their edge defenders: Micah Parsons, who logged a massive 707 snaps, is on the PUP list. Rashan Gary, with 697 snaps, was traded this offseason. Kingsley Enagbare, who put in 521 snaps, will be on the other sideline in Week 2. Then there’s Van Ness himself, who added 310 snaps last season. You crunch those numbers, and the sheer volume of experience walking off the field is absolutely insane. What’s left on the 53-man roster? Just Barryn Sorrell, cleared for the game after battling a foot issue that limited him this week; Brenton Cox Jr.; and rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton. That’s the entire list. Talk about being thin at a critical position.
Who’s Stepping Up? And From Where?
So, with Van Ness potentially out, who’s actually left to chase the Jets’ quarterback on Sunday? Sorrell played only 154 snaps last year, and Cox a measly 39. To put that into perspective, Cox played a grand total of four snaps in their playoff game against the Chicago Bears last season! We’re talking about their EDGE5 and EDGE6 from last year who could be starting on Sunday. The coaching staff is probably going to pivot hard, maybe putting linebacker Edgerrin Cooper on the edge a lot more than they did in Week 1. They flashed those sets in the preseason, so it’s not out of left field. You can also bet they’ll be calling up someone from the practice squad just to get another body out there. Arron Mosby has played games for the Packers before, but he’s mostly a special teams guy. If push comes to shove, I expect rookie Nyjalik Kelly to get the defensive look instead, because of what he can do. It’s going to be a unit of Sorrell, Cox, Dennis-Sutton, and Kelly. We’ve barely seen these “projected starters” in starting roles, and Dennis-Sutton even missed the first two preseason games with an overheating issue. It’s a total unknown.
When Sunday rolls around, if Van Ness is sidelined, we’re watching last year’s EDGE5 and EDGE6 kick things off, with two rookies being the only other rotational options available. It’s going to be a pure trial by fire against the Jets. Hard to say what they’ll achieve, but one thing’s for damn sure: we’re about to get a whole lot more data points on where Green Bay’s young pass rushers actually stand in their progression.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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