Much has already been said about the impact of Micah Parsons’ arrival in Titletown to the Green Bay Packers’ defense. It’s clear that Green Bay’s stop unit has become a bigger threat on the field because of Parsons’ addition, which isn’t exactly surprising.
A four-time Pro Bowler, who has had at least 12.0 sacks in each of his past four seasons in the NFL surely elevates any team’s defense he gets inserted into. Just the presence alone of Parsons helps create space for his teammates, such as third-year linebacker Lukas Van Ness, who’s already making noise early in the 2025 NFL campaign.
In his recent “inbox” piece on the Packers’ official website, Wes Hodkiewicz entertained a question from a fan about the noticeable play of Van Ness and whether Parsons has been giving the former Iowa Hawkeyes star tips.
Here’s the exact question from the fan:
Good morning, Wes. Two games is a small sample size, but it sure looks like Lukas Van Ness is getting off the ball much quicker this year than in the past. Has Parsons has been coaching Lukas up about his more explosive get-offs?
And here’s Hodkiewicz’s response:
Having Parsons here helps, but Van Ness is now 24 years old with two NFL seasons under his belt. It’s plausible you’re watching a young pass rusher – dare I say – develop.
2025 could be the year Van Ness breaks out for the Packers
Van Ness came into the NFL with a lot of promise. He was selected by Green Bay 13th overall at the 2023 NFL draft, but his first two years in the pros were underwhelming. Nevertheless, the 2025 season brings new confidence for Van Ness. Even Parsons had already shared his positive outlook for Van Ness in 2025.
“I think Van Ness is going to have his best year yet this year,” Parsons said after Week 1’s win against the Detroit Lions (h/t Matt Schneidman of The Athletic). “I’m going to make sure of it. That guy, he’s a very selfless player, like very selfless. He’s one of them guys that can go anywhere. He plays the run. He does everything. He’s the high-quality player that you just want to be around.”
Through two games, Van Ness has half a sack and seven combind tackles to go with two quarterback hits.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
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