3. Rashan Gary
Despite having plenty of money to spend, the Packers whiffed on adding a big-name pass-rusher in free agency. They also failed to swing a trade for any of the top defensive ends on the market.
Josh Sweat signed a deal eerily similar to the one Green Bay gave Aaron Banks. Meanwhile, Khalil Mack, Chase Young, Haason Reddick, and Joey Bosa have all found homes outside of Green Bay.
That leaves a less-than-ideal group of remaining options. Za’Darius Smith (a reunion that would be as awkward as running into an ex at a family wedding), Von Miller, and Azeez Ojulari are among the best still available—but none are the answer Green Bay needs.
Instead, the Packers opted to swap an underwhelming Josh Myers for an equally underwhelming Banks and added Nate Hobbs to their secondary. Whether that was the right call will define the 2025 season.
And that judgment will land squarely on Rashan Gary’s shoulders.
Gary will carry the second-highest cap hit on the team next season at a hefty $25.8 million. To justify that price tag, he must take a massive leap in production.
Last year, Gary posted just 7.5 sacks—the third-highest total of his career. That brings his career tally to 39 sacks in six seasons. For comparison, Trey Hendrickson, who is reportedly available via trade, has 35 sacks in just the last two years.
Gary was drafted 12th overall in 2019 based on sky-high potential, then handed a massive contract extension in 2023 for the same reason. But potential only gets you so far—at some point, you have to deliver. Right now, Gary feels like a high-performance sports car that looks great in the driveway but hasn’t yet hit top speed on the highway.
If the Packers want to be taken seriously as Super Bowl contenders, they need Gary to dominate. If he doesn’t, the pass rush will remain stagnant, and Green Bay may face a tough business decision next offseason.