Cory’s Corner: Take Notice Of Rashan Gary

How has it not happened yet? 

This will be Rashan Gary’s sixth season and he still has not been selected to a Pro Bowl. How can this be?

As a rookie, he was still trying to figure some things out. The 12th overall pick in 2019 looked lost, but rebounded with strong tackling and excellent coverage skills in his sophomore season. 

Then 2021 happened. His third season was his most successful. He had 58 quarterback hurries with 12 sacks. He also played in 722 of 1,133 defensive snaps. He was easily the team’s best pass rusher and he was also excellent against the run and was a great tackler. 

Yet, he wasn’t recognized for his efforts.

Gary, 26, is now the heartbeat of this defense. I will admit that I wasn’t fully on board when he was drafted, but his learning curve has been steep. He has gotten exponentially better each year and now offenses have to know where he is at all times. 

Gary started out last season on the Physically Unable to Perform list with a torn right ACL that he injured in November 2022. But he worked his way back from that. He only played in 26.3 percent of the defensive snaps in the first three games last year but he tallied 3½ sacks. 

“He’s coming in with the right mindset,” said Preston Smith. “This year, having a chance to be healthy through a whole offseason and to get ready for the season, I think it’s going to be big for him. I’m expecting a lot of big things from him.”

There’s no place that Gary would rather be. He was born to play football and now he is also adding to his mix. He isn’t just a stellar player, but he is also a leader that wants to continue to hone his craft. He isn’t content.

And that’s why the Packers awarded him with a four-year, $107.5 million extension in October. He probably wasn’t 100 percent at the time, but there are so many things that Gary does that go beyond a boxscore. He is teaching and coaching the young guys where to be, especially as the defense transitions to a new 4-3 scheme. He is also the positive guy that is hungry to make his mark. He remembers when he was drafted and all the criticism he took. 

But he has turned all that negativity into fuel. He has transformed himself into a top shelf player that can get sideline-to-sideline. He can tattoo the quarterback and he can cover a receiver in space. 

Gary has already had his breakout season, but it wasn’t noticed by the league. The 6-foot-5, 277-pound linebacker will force them to notice this year.