As part of the usual NFL roster turnover, the Green Bay Packers will introduce some new players to Titletown and find some familiar faces in new roles. Training camp and the preseason are still a ways off, but three Packers players’ fortunes have already risen this offseason, and there’s a common theme among them.
Let’s start with Lukas Van Ness.
It’s been an underwhelming three years for the 13th-overall pick in 2023. In all that time, Van Ness has only tallied 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. Injuries have played a part. Still, Van Ness has been wildly inconsistent, even when healthy and on the field.
That didn’t deter the Packers from picking up Van Ness’ fifth-year option. He will have the assurance that he will not play on an expiring deal. On top of that, the option Green Bay exercised will give Van Ness a whopping $13.8 million in 2027, and every penny of it is guaranteed.
It’s put-up-or-shut-up time for Van Ness, because of Green Bay’s latest investment in him and what’s happened at his position on the edge.
Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare are both gone. The trio of them and Van Ness split most of the reps at the two edge-rusher spots in 2025 after Micah Parsons tore his ACL in Denver.
Speaking of Parsons, he won’t be ready for the start of the regular season. The runway is clear for Van Ness to step up, and Green Bay will need him to do so in a major way. There’s no more wondering whether or not Van Ness can or will live up to his first-round status. While he’s under contract through 2027 now, 2026 should tell the Packers all they need to know.
Continuing the first-round pick theme, the Packers drafted offensive lineman Jordan Morgan 24th overall in 2024. Throughout his lengthy college career at Arizona, Morgan appeared in 41 games and started 37 at left tackle.
Left tackle was Morgan’s comfort zone on the offensive line. Yet during his first two years with the Packers, he’s played left guard, right guard, and right tackle. It was a struggle, and occasionally a mighty one for Morgan at right guard. Things looked better when he filled in for Zach Tom at right tackle last year.
With Rasheed Walker gone on a one-year deal to the Carolina Panthers, the red-carpet rollout is in full effect for Morgan. He will be Green Bay’s left tackle in 2026; there won’t be some sort of rotation at the position as he had at right guard with Sean Rhyan the last couple of seasons.
There will be pressure for Morgan to step up and protect Jordan Love‘s blind side. Like Van Ness, he’ll need to live up to his first-round billing. Still, the offseason couldn’t have gone better for Morgan in terms of his positional standing. Gone are the weeks of him playing musical chairs on the offensive line. While Green Bay prizes versatility in its O-linemen, it would be wise to let Morgan focus on left tackle.
That brings us to yet another first-rounder, wide receiver Matthew Golden. Puzzlingly, he was an afterthought for much of his rookie season, but that won’t be the case in 2026.
Green Bay has historically done a lot of hand-holding with its rookie wide receivers. Golden showed flashes as a rookie. Still, his opportunities were few and far between, even with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed missing substantial time.
However, the Packers will unlock Golden this year.
Romeo Doubs signed with the New England Patriots in free agency, and the Packers traded Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles. Green Bay still has sound depth at wide receiver, but even after Jayden Reed‘s extension was rightfully inked earlier in the offseason, Golden has shot up to No. 2 on the depth chart. It should be Golden on the perimeter starting alongside Watson.
What had been an embarrassment of riches the last few years at wide receiver got a little thinner this offseason. Second-year wideout Savion Williams should have more opportunities this year, too, but it’s Golden’s time to shine.
