Packers: Rashan Gary is primed to be a “big-time player” this season
The Green Bay Packers certainly have an eye for the future when making their draft picks. We saw it in 2020 when they selected Jordan Love in the first round and AJ Dillon in the second despite having solidified starters ahead of them. We saw it even before then when they took Rashan Gary with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Gary was a raw prospect out of the University of Michigan who was more known for his potential than anything he actually did on the football field. As a workout warrior and elite athlete, he dominated practices and often flashed skills that could make life difficult for opposing offenses. Unfortunately, that didn’t translate to actual games against real competition.
Despite the numbers to back it up, Gary entered the draft after just three seasons of college football.
It was a slow start to his professional career with the Packers. Before he was even drafted, Green Bay spent a ton of money in free agency to bring in Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith on the outside. Those two veterans had career years in 2019 and looked to have a stronghold on the position for the foreseeable future.
While they were dominating in games, Gary found it hard to receive consistent playing time. He only saw 244 total snaps in his rookie year as he was tasked with spelling the Smiths. That didn’t deter him, however, as he continued to grind and work every day on and off the field.
After taking a step forward last season, Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary is ready to become a “big-time player.”
That hard work paid off in 2020 when Preston Smith struggled. Gary had stayed ready, refined his craft, and learned from the veterans ahead of him and his coaching staff. He flashed some terrific moves throughout the 2020 season and continued to impress in practice. His playing time doubled, as did his production in both the running and passing game. His sacks rose from three to seven, his hits from three to five, and his hurries from nine to 27.
Now he’s ready to take yet another step in his third season. At just 23-years-old, he has years of growth ahead of him. The coaching staff and peers see it too. Za’Darius Smith recently said Gary has a “big year” ahead of him while head coach Matt LaFleur said he’s going to become a “big-time player” for the Packers.
That’s high praise from two guys who know what they’re talking about. New defensive coordinator Joe Barry plans on using Gary alongside the two Smiths in order to maximize the effectiveness of this defense. After all, why wouldn’t you try to get your best players on the field at the same time even if they technically play the same position?
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It’s exciting to see what Gary can offer in year three. His elite work ethic showed up last year and is already revealing itself again this summer. Get ready for a breakout campaign from this former first-round pick.