Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is hoping the third time’s a charm. Three is the number of defensive coordinators he has had during his tenure as the Packers head coach. LaFleur is betting that new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will do what Mike Pettine and most recently Joe Barry couldn’t do. That is making the Green Bay Packers defense consistent. Hafley is bringing with him a 4-3 style of defense, something the Packers haven’t run since 2008. The shift in defense is expected to bring out the best in certain defenders. One of them is second-year defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness.
Expect Big Things From Lukas Van Ness in 2024
When an NFL team shifts to a new style of defense, there usually is a big learning curve. Players are required to learn a new terminology, something that takes time. But terminology isn’t the only thing. Along with terminology, teams must adapt their existing personnel to the new style of defense.
When Dom Capers took over for Bob Sanders as the defensive coordinator in 2009, the transition was fairly smooth. But some players had a hard time adapting to Capers attacking 3-4 defense. Aaron Kampman, who was a successful 4-3 defensive end in Sanders’s scheme, never really took off as a 3-4 outside linebacker in Capers’s scheme. Luckily for the Packers, they had a rookie named Clay Matthews to step in.
The Packers’ current defensive personnel shouldn’t have much of a problem adapting to Hafley’s new scheme. One unit, the Green Packer edge pass rushers, seems to be a better fit for Hafley’s 4-3 defensive scheme than it was for Barry’s defense. The Packers have a plethora of big, athletic edge pass rushers that should thrive as a hand in the dirt pass rushers. Rashan Gary, the Packers’ best pass rusher, seems to be a perfect fit as a 4-3 defensive end. But he isn’t the only one that should thrive in the new scheme. 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness should also flourish as a defensive end.
Size and Athletic Ability to Play Defensive End
By no means was Lukas Van Ness like a fish out of water playing outside linebacker in his rookie season. In fact, for a rookie playing a brand new position, he played pretty darn well. As a rotational player for the Packers, Van Ness posted four sacks and 32 combined tackles, 24 of them solo, and eight of them being for a loss. He also displayed some of his athletic ability. Against the Chicago Bears, Van Ness chased down quarterback Justin Fields for his first professional sack.
While Van Ness held his own as a 3-4 outside linebacker, you could tell that wasn’t a natural position. Midway through the season, the Packers used Van Ness more as a down defensive lineman and his play picked up. The shift allowed Van Ness to quit thinking so much and just focus on pressuring the quarterback.
Playing a 4-3 defensive end will allow Van Ness to do the same. It’s a position he thrived at while at the University of Iowa. In his last season at Iowa, playing defensive end, Van Ness registered 38 total tackles, 17 of them solo, 11 of them for a loss, and six and a half sacks. He did this all while playing a part-time role.
The new defensive scheme should also allow Hafley to take advantage of Van Ness’s ability to play multiple positions. While at Iowa, Hawkeyes defense coordinator Phil Parker utilized Van Ness as a defensive tackle in certain packages. His ability to line up inside, possessing so much power as he does, took advantage of match-up issues. Barry didn’t utilize Van Ness much as an interior defensive lineman, but fans should expect Hafley to do so.
A Three-Headed Monster
While Lukas Van Ness will be entering his second season, the Packers won’t have to rush him along. Playing ahead of him will be Gary and veteran pass rusher Preston Smith. Gary missed part of last season while recovering from a 2020 season-ending knee injury. He played exceptionally for a player coming back from a major injury, posting nine sacks. Gary will be full-go at the start of this season and the Packers expect a big year from him.
Many have counted out the veteran Smith, but every year, he proves his naysayers wrong. In 2023, with Gary missing time, Smith posted eight sacks. Similar to Gary and Van Ness, he too should embrace the new defensive line philosophy. No longer will he be expected to drop into coverage, which he was asked to in Pettine and Barry’s scheme. As a nine-season veteran, Smith won’t be expected to play every snap. However, that is where Lukas Van Ness will step in and the Packers defense shouldn’t miss a beat.
The Packers have solid depth behind Gary, Smith, and Van Ness as well. Kingsley Engabare and Karl Brooks will be a part of the Packers’ defensive end rotation. One player to keep an eye on is Brooks. Similar to Van Ness, Brooks played out of position in the Packers 3-4 defense. But he too played well, posting four sacks. With playing his natural position, a 4-3 defensive end, Brooks should be even better this season.
Main Image: Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
