The Green Bay Packers had probably decided Rashan Gary's fate before the end of last season. His production was underwhelming, his effort — or lack thereof — was downright embarrassing, and there was no way to justify his steep salary.
Gary could've made a case for himself in Micah Parsons' absence. Instead, he went from putting up 7.5 sacks in the first seven games of the season to 0 in the final 10. He didn't even get a tackle for loss for the remainder of the year.
That's why getting a 2027 fourth-round pick and a $11 million cap relief by trading him to the Dallas Cowboys felt too good to be true. Five games into his Cowboys tenure, that move keeps aging like fine wine for the Cheeseheads.
The Green Bay Packers don't miss Rashan Gary in the slightest
The Packers will get to face their former player for the first time since his departure. But judging by his current production, it looks like they have nothing to worry about, not even with a reworked offensive line.
Over five games, the 29-year-old pass rusher has registered a grand total of 14 tackles (10 solo), one tackle for loss, three quarterback hits, and 1.0 sacks. He's been dreadful against the run, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 99th among 106 eligible players (46.9).
Gary amassed 46.5 sacks in his seven years with the Packers, and there was a time when he was a legitimate force on the verge of being one of the best headhunters in the NFC. He was widely underrated before he seemignly stopped caring.
Watching Gary jog and do light cardio became a weekly infuriating ritual. Watching other players cross the sidelines sprinting past him to make a play while he looked like a deer in headlights may have made hundreds of fans lose their cool and turn off the T.V.
The Cowboys made a flurry of big moves to fix one of the worst defenses in NFL history, some of which were expected to make a big impact. Packers fans knew pretty well that Gary's addition wouldn't do much to point them in the right direction, and Brian Gutekunst pretty much stole Jerry Jones' lunch money with this trade.
Losing Kenny Clark two years ago was a blow, and they could certainly use him now that they've lost Javon Hargrave for the season. As for Gary, it's hard to believe any Packers fan will have much love for him when he returns to Lambeau Field on Sunday.
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