Lukas Van Ness’ strong finish was ‘just the starting point’

GREEN BAY – Lukas Van Ness understood what he was signing up for when he declared as a redshirt sophomore for the NFL Draft last winter.

Only 21 years old when the Packers selected him with the No. 13 pick, Van Ness would need to learn on the fly as a rookie. To add an extra layer of difficulty to that challenge, the former Iowa interior defensive lineman also was making a transition in Green Bay to an outside linebacker rushing from a two-point stance.

The athleticism was impossible to miss and clear when Van Ness chased down Chicago quarterback Justin Fields for his first career sack in his first NFL game, but putting the rest of the pieces together took more time.

With a few midseason tweaks, however, the 6-foot-5, 272-pound linebacker found his best form during the Packers’ playoff chase. After Thanksgiving, Van Ness racked up 18 tackles, seven quarterback hits and four sacks in his final eight games (including playoffs).

“I think it just shows what the rookie season is,” said Van Ness prior to last month’s NFC Divisional playoff game in San Francisco. “Coming from Iowa and playing interior D-line and a lot of different techniques, to come into Green Bay and change up my technique and learning a different defense, I had a lot of hurdles to get over. I felt like, especially the last month or two, I’ve been able to put together and play a lot more free.”

Van Ness kept his composure during a long rookie campaign, especially during the two-month gap between his play against Fields and his sack of Patrick Mahomes in Green Bay’s 27-19 triumph over the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The game slowed down as Van Ness pressed on, but he and position coach Jason Rebrovich also made a small adjustment that allowed the former Iowa defensive lineman to put his hand back in the dirt more during the second half of the year.

Van Ness said he and Rebrovich always had that option, but the rookie wanted to first get comfortable in the defense and develop his vision in a two-point stance. Once Van Ness settled in, he unleashed a unique bag of pass-rushing tricks.

“Football IQ, knowledge of the game, having an understanding of the pre-snap process and expecting what I’m going to get every single play,” Van Ness said. “I think the past half year, I’ve gotten down to that three-point (and) feel a lot more comfortable with my get-off and pass rush.”

Another key figure in…