Packers Land Two on Bucky Brooks’ All-Breakout Team

With a new defensive scheme, the Green Bay Packers have high hopes for former first-round pick Lukas Van Ness entering Year 2 of his career.

Green Bay Packers defender Lukas Van Ness (90) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during their game on Dec. 3 at Lambeau Field. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin /

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks expects big things from Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness this season.

In his 11-player All-Breakout defensive team at NFL.com, Brooks picked Van Ness as one of his two edge defenders.

“Jeff Hafley’s arrival as the Packers’ new defensive coordinator could unlock Van Ness’ dynamic talents,” Brooks wrote. “A freakish athlete with natural pass-rush skills, the second-year pro could emerge as one of the NFC’s top edges if he takes the next step as a playmaker after finishing his rookie season with a bang.”

Indeed, last year’s first-round pick finished strong. Van Ness had a sack in Week 1, a 10-game streak without a sack, a sack in three of the final six games of the regular season and one more in the playoffs.

Van Ness had 182 pass-rushing opportunities during the regular season, making him one out of exactly 100 edge defenders to hit that number. Van Ness finished a decent 53rd in Pro Football Focus’ pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

However, after having just two pressures in the nine-game stretch spanning Week 2 vs. the Falcons and Week 11 vs. the Chargers, Van Ness had 15 pressures in the nine-game stretch spanning Week 12 vs. the Lions and the playoff loss to the 49ers.

From Week 12 through the Super Bowl, 99 edge defenders had at least 80 pass-rushing opportunities. From that group, Van Ness ranked 32nd in PFF’s pass-rushing productivity.

A new approach implanted by Hafley – defensive line coach likened it to the Navy SEALs – could unleash Van Ness and the rest of the defensive line in Year 2.

“I’m excited about Lukas,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think a lot of times you see a lot of those guys that are pass-rushers take a huge jump from Year 1 to Year 2. So, he’s a guy that’s put in a ton of work. I think his body looks great. He’s somebody that we’re certainly excited about.

“And I think much similar to the receiving group, we feel really good about our front. When you’ve got RG (Rashan Gary) and Preston (Smith) and J.J. (Kingsley Enagbare) and then inside you’ve got Kenny Clark, Heavy D (Devonte Wyatt), Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, I mean, there’s a lot of players there. T.J. Slaton. We feel really good about the collective unit, and I think each one of those guys is going to get more 1-on-1 opportunities along the way because it’s hard to zero in on just one guy.”

Brooks posted the breakout offensive players last week, with receiver Jayden Reed making that list after he led the team in receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns during a record-setting rookie season.

According to Pro Football Focus, 41 receivers were targeted at least 30 times in the slot last season. He ranked seventh with 44 receptions, third with 653 yards, fifth with 14.8 yards per reception and second with seven touchdowns.

With Reed and Jordan Love bursting onto the scene last season, “These two should make even sweeter music in their second season together,” Brooks concluded.

The Packers were the only team in the NFC North to have a breakout candidate on both sides of the ball. In fact, the only other division player on the team is Chicago offensive tackle Darnell Wright.

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