Several Green Bay Packers' futures with the franchise have been in question since the NFL offseason began, including Rashan Gary. The Packers' cap space is limited, and with the veteran defender carrying cap hits of $28 million and $31 million in 2026 and 2027 (OverTheCap), respectively, it'd make sense if the team ditched Gary to help make general manager Brian Gutekunst's job easier.
It looked like ex-Pro Bowler's time in Titletown was over on Friday when NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that Gary had announced his release on Instagram. The celebration around the Packers' newfound cap space was short-lived, though, as less than an hour later, Pelissero revealed that Gary deleted the post and "has not yet been traded or released."
Interestingly, ESPN's Rob Demovsky reported that Gary's "IG account was hacked," hence the deletion. It wouldn't be the first time that an athlete's social media page was hacked, but history has also shown that players involved in trade/divorce rumors have claimed to be hacked after testing the waters with a risky post.
Regardless of what led to Gary's farewell post on Friday, one thing is clear: his time in Green Bay is likely ending soon.
Rashan Gary Is Likely Past Point of No Return with Packers
At the end of the day, it's hard to imagine Gary staying with the Packers, whether his Instagram account was hacked or not.
For starters, if Gary intentionally made that post, it shows that he knows he's running out of time in Green Bay.
It's possible he got word of a looming split from someone in the organization and thought it would happen much sooner than it was. If a similar post is made when the Packers do turn the page, it'll be clear that Friday's upload wasn't a complete accident. As others have noted, the apparent hacker certainly took the time to create an impressive image, along with the heartfelt message attributed to Gary.
On the other hand, if Gary truly was hacked, it's hard to imagine him feeling comfortable knowing that so many Packers fans were ready to see him go. OTC has Green Bay with only $4.3 million in available cap space, while designating Gary for a post-June 1 cut would open $19.5 million in savings. This represents a significant amount of money that Gutekunst & Co. can spend on the offensive line, secondary, and tight end rooms.
With that in mind, it's easy to see why some around Green Bay may have been willing to help Gary pack his bags and get him on the next flight out of America's Dairyland.
The former Michigan Wolverine still has juice left in the tank; however, his massive cap hit likely means he's already played his last snap with the Packers. He still had 7.5 sacks, 25 solo tackles, one forced fumble, and a defended pass in 16 games (653 defensive snaps) last season, so it isn't absurd to think that a pass-rush-hungry team would love to have him on board at a much lower price.
Heck, even the Packers would likely be holding on to him if he were signed to more of a team-friendly contract. That isn't the case, though, and Gutekunst must now consider his options. Whether it's a trade or a release, something has to be done so that both sides can move on freely.
Gary's relationship with the Packers is officially beyond saving. With the tampering period and free agency happening next week, it might not be long until a split happens.