After seven years with the Green Bay Packers, Rashan Gary will be looking for greener pastures with the Dallas Cowboys. Gary didn’t go to Dallas on his own accord, as the Packers traded him in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick, but there were hints that he welcomed a move, including taking a pay cut to help facilitate the deal.
“I don’t look at it as trading places or things like that,” Gary said via ESPN’s Todd Archer after the trade. “I’m just coming here to be me and be the impact that the Cowboys need.”
With Gary failing to record a sack or tackle for loss in his final 11 games as a Packer, it was clear both sides needed to move on. But if Gary believes that things will be better with the Cowboys, he’ll be in for a rude awakening, as he may not be able to fill the shoes that Micah Parsons left behind.
Former Packer Rashan Gary Won’t Solve Cowboys’ Biggest Problem
For starters, Gary looks to be in a solid situation with his new team. The Cowboys' pass rush ranked first in pressure rate last season (31.2 percent), and Gary still produced in that regard with 60 pressures and a 13.4% pressure rate in 446 pass-rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. But Packers fans know that getting pressure isn’t Gary’s problem.
The real issue for Gary is his inability to finish plays. His 7.5 sacks were just as many as he produced in his 2024 Pro Bowl campaign, but it was disappointing considering Parsons was supposed to free him up for more. While Gary continued to pressure the quarterback, he never could actually get to him, which was a key point of contention when Parsons went down with a torn ACL.
The Cowboys’ pressure rate was one of the best in the NFL, but they had the same problem as Gary, ranking tied for 22nd last season with 35 sacks as a team. In addition, last year’s sack leader, Jadeveon Clowney (8.5 sacks), is currently not expected to return in free agency, meaning that Dallas is banking on Gary to be the solution to a problem that has been his biggest over the past year.
Things could get even worse as the Cowboys approach this month’s draft. Dallas could add an edge rusher with either the 12th or 20th overall pick in the first round. Even if they don’t, the Cowboys have eight total picks in this year’s draft that could be used to add depth or on a veteran who could come in and overshadow Gary.
Mix in the pressure of a fan base still upset over Parsons’s departure, and Gary faces a lot of pressure in Dallas. While he may have felt like his time in Green Bay had played out, it’s not an ideal situation for him to land in, and could have him becoming a major disappointment when he throws on a Cowboys uniform.