The Green Bay Packers got back on the win column in Week 11, but it was still not the most convincing of performances. The Giants had more yards than the Packers, and if it were a better opponent, Green Bay could have suffered its third straight defeat.
Among those players who need to take a big step forward is Rashan Gary. The veteran defensive end has gone disappointingly quiet in recent weeks after a hot start to the season. The 27-year-old pass rusher had 4.5 sacks, seven QB hits, and four tackles for loss in the first three weeks of the season. However, over the last three weeks, he has not had a sack, QB hit, or a tackle for loss.
As a result, Gary has seen his snap share decline. In the last two weeks, he played 60% and 54% of the Packers' defensive snaps, his two lowest numbers of the season. In fact, he was outsnapped by Kingsley Enagbare for the first time this season in Week 11. Against the Giants, he played the fourth-most among Green Bay's defensive ends, and received a season-worst 52.7 pass rush grade on Pro Football Focus.
The lackluster production, combined with needing time off during games and other players potentially being able to fill his shoes for much less than what Gary makes, is starting to position him as a possible offseason split candidate.
Packers' Rashan Gary Will Be an Offseason Trade Candidate
The Packers use a lot of Cheetah packages where they deploy three defensive ends at once. So, having as many capable defensive ends on the roster is very important. Therefore, Gary will continue to play a big part for the team until the end of the season.
At the same time, Gary is the second-highest paid player on the team, but is playing nowhere near that level. The Packers will now be an expensive team going forward, especially with Micah Parsons' extension kicking in. The production they are getting out of Gary is not enough to justify the $28 million cap hit he will have in 2026.
That is why a Rashan Gary trade shouldn't be ruled out. He was rumored to be a trade candidate before the Nov. 4 deadline, but that never seemed realistic. A Super Bowl contender wouldn't trade a competent pass rusher in the middle of the season. In the offseason, however, this can certainly be revisited.
The Packers could use the financial relief and have the likes of Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver, who could step up in their second season in the league. A release or trade of Gary would clear nearly $11 million from the books, which is notable for a team with a ton of highly paid vets and Micah Parsons' mega-deal kicking in alongside Jordan Love's lucrative contract.
Every Super Bowl hopeful has to make some sacrifices, and a Gary trade would give Green Bay legitimate draft capital to find a player who could contribute on a cheap rookie deal. With Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare also in the mix, the Packers could very well justify moving on from Gary, unless the Pro Bowler finds his early-season form in the final stretch of 2025.