The Green Bay Packers are setting themselves up for a clear mistake after general manager Brian Gutekunst offered an honest review of pass rusher Rashan Gary, via Packers Wire. As much as Green Bay fans would love for Gary to be booted from Titletown this offseason, Gutekunst's words paint the opposite picture, even if he admitted to the veteran's shortcomings.
"(Rashan) had a lot of production early. I did think toward the end he wasn't as productive as he was at the beginning. Certainly, that'll be something I'm sure he looks at personally, and we look at as a team how we can make sure that his production level is the same at the beginning and end of the season."Brian Gutekunst, Packers GM
Unless there's a sudden change in heart, Gutekunst sounds like the Packers are ready to work with Gary again this fall. This is incredibly concerning, given the defender's massive cap hit and the complete lack of production at the end of the 2025 season.
Packers Are Playing a Dangerous Rashan Gary Game
Gary started the first two months of the season strong, but would start 10 games for the Packers over the end of the season without registering a single sack. When you consider that cutting Gary would save $19.5 million after June 1, it's hard to fathom why Gutekunst isn't open to a split.
Gutekunst is ignoring Green Bay's need to bring in a more capable second option alongside star pass rusher Micah Parsons. If you're going to be paying top dollar, as the Packers currently are, it makes sense to get production that measures up to this standard.
Gary had 7.5 sacks on the year, while counting as a $25.7 million cap hit. This is unacceptable and cannot be the standard Green Bay defenders are held to if the Packers are serious about making improvements and a true push to contend. Gary's cap hit rises each of the next two seasons, and a cut would free up money that could be used to fix other areas of the team, such as the secondary and offensive line.
If the Packers are set on Gary returning, Gutekunst needs to consider a contract restructure. With two years remaining on his deal, adding a void year to the situation could make his stay more palatable.
It wouldn't be difficult to find a replacement for Gary's production alongside Parsons and still have leftover freed-up space to make additional moves. That's why the Packers' loyalty to Gary is alarming, potentially setting the team up for even more headaches in the near future.