The Green Bay Packers‘ blockbuster trade to acquire Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys may have ripple on effects for the Philadelphia Eagles, beyond avoiding two matchups per season against the All-Pro edge rusher.
Adding Parsons opposite homegrown pass rusher Rashan Gary could make former first-round draft choice Lukas Van Ness expendable for the Packers, and an ideal trade candidate for general manager Howie Roseman and the Eagles to pursue.
Van Ness, 24, was originally chosen by the Packers with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but has never quite lived up to that billing through the first two seasons of his career, but he could benefit from a change of scenery.
With two years remaining on his rookie contract, plus a potential fifth-year option, Roseman and the Eagles could be well positioned from a draft capital standpoint and with the requisite cap space to pull off a deal with the Packers to see if the former Iowa standout can elevate coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense.
Parsons’ presence could accelerate the timeline for the Packers to move off Van Ness, rather than continue to invest financial resources at the position, given that the newcomer agreed to terms on a $188 million contract that includes $120 million guaranteed.
Heavy Sports’ Max Dible suggests general manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers could be motivated to offload Van Ness, which would recoup some of the draft capital Green Bay sent the Cowboys in a deal that included two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
“Given Green Bayâs legitimate Super Bowl aspirations,” Dible writes. “Itâs more likely that Van Ness will hit the trade block, but the team must re-establish his value first.”
Meanwhile, the Eagles boast up to 13 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft class, including potential compensatory picks which is an ample war chest for a GM as aggressive as Roseman has developed a reputation for being, to take a flier on a player at a premium position that could use an upgrade along Philadelphia’s front seven.
Why a Lukas Van Ness Trade Makes Sense for Eagles … And Why it Might Not
GettyPackers edge rusher Lukas Van Ness could be an ideal trade target for Howie Roseman and the Eagles.
There’s a possibility that Gutekunst and the Packers could ask the Eagles to pay a premium for Van Ness, given that Green Bay has legitimate Super Bowl aspirations and the understanding that the road to the NFC might very well go through Philadelphia.
Green Bay asking for a first or second-round pick would probably be a nonstarter for the Eagles, given Van Ness’s lack of production at the NFL level, but it is a conversation worth having for Philadelphia.
However, for the right price, and if Roseman can acquire Van Ness for a third-round or lower pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it might be a prudent use of draft capital to fortify a position where the Eagles could use quality depth.
Roseman has been no stranger when it comes to trying to upgrade the talent across the roster via the trade market, or in attempting to maximize the value of former first-round draft choices, such as wide receiver Jahan Dotson, which makes this the kind of trade that might be in the Eagles’ wheelhouse.
Likewise, after losing Josh Sweat via free agency, the Eagles are placing outsized expectations on the likes of Moro Ojomo, Nolan Smith, and Jalyx Hunt to pick up the production.
For a defense that finished atop the NFL in total defense last season, if Van Ness can jolt the pass rush and provide quality snaps, he could become a marquee piece in a possible run at a Super Bowl repeat.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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