The Packers’ biggest roster question heading into 2026 isn’t hard to spot: they need more help off the edge, and waiting to fix it could turn into a mistake they can’t undo.
Green Bay has been floated as a possible destination for edge rushers on the move this offseason, and the logic is easy to follow. Micah Parsons is coming off an injury and isn’t expected back until the middle of the season. At the same time, the team has already lost the production it got from Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare, who were the second-leading sack options at the position and have both moved on to new landing spots.
That leaves Lukas Van Ness in the spotlight. The Packers are asking him to step into a starring role, and the expectations around him are high. Fans can point to the draft pedigree and still believe there’s more in the tank, even after three seasons that haven’t lived up to the hype.
But even if Van Ness finally makes the leap Green Bay is hoping for, the problem doesn’t go away. The Packers would still be thin behind him. Brenton Cox and Barryn Sorrell are next on the depth chart, and neither has shown enough to make anyone comfortable about what’s coming next.
That’s why the Packers can’t treat this like a wait-and-see situation. They need either a real addition to the pass-rushing room or a trade that brings in a proven difference-maker. The article points to names like Von Miller and Maxx Crosby as examples of the kind of player who could change the conversation, but the bigger point is simpler than that: Green Bay needs someone fans can immediately recognize as a solution.
It doesn’t have to be a splashy blockbuster. A veteran who can lead, rotate, and help the younger players grow would still matter. The longer the Packers hold off, the more obvious the hole becomes.
And the timing matters because of what the season is supposed to mean. Fans want to see Jordan Love start building a postseason legacy, and they want Matt LaFleur to quiet the doubts about winning the games that count. With that much riding on the year, the Packers’ pass-rush depth is the kind of issue that can’t be ignored for long.
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The move also gives the Packers some control over McDuffies future before he can get to unrestricted free agency after the 2026 season. For a player drafted by Green Bay in 2021, it is another sign that the organization sees value in developing and retaining homegrown talent, especially when that player has proven he can handle steady snaps and contribute in multiple phases. [Read more 🡒]
Packers May Finally Have The Missing Piece Behind Josh Jacobs
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This offseason, Lloyd took another step in trying to get there, working with specialists to get to the root of the soft-tissue issues that have slowed him down and heading into camp looking healthier than he has in a while. If that progress holds, Green Bay could finally have a back who gives Josh Jacobs a different kind of partner in the backfield, one the offense has been missing for some time. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Have A Hidden Backfield Problem That Could Derail 2026
Josh Jacobs remains the centerpiece of Green Bays rushing attack, and the Packers know it. He gave the offense a reliable downhill identity last season, but the bigger issue now is what comes after him. The room behind Jacobs is thin enough that the team cannot afford much disruption, especially with the offense leaning so heavily on the run game to stay on schedule and keep balance.
Chris Brooks is viewed as the third-down option, while MarShawn Lloyd is next in line if Green Bay has to reach deeper into the depth chart. That is where the concern starts to sharpen for 2026, because the Packers are one injury, one setback, or one stretch of missed time away from asking a lot more of their backups than the roster may be built to handle. [Read more 🡒]