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Green Bay Packers DE Rashan Gary 'Locked In' for More Productive 2025

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 1:58 PM ET

In 2024, Green Bay Packers defensive end Rashan Gary recorded his lowest sacks per game since 2020, notching a team-high 7.5 total while playing all 17 contests. His still earned a 73.8 PFF grade, 36th among 211 qualified edge rushers, and despite a down year, even made his first Pro Bowl. But in his sixth season as a pro, the Packers were hoping for a bit more production.

Carrying a cap hit of $25 million next season, Gary must take a step forward to justify his paycheck. With OTAs in full swing, he feels confident he can bring the heat in 2025, per Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber.

Gary Says Green Bay Packers Are Focused This Year

The Packers pass rush underperformed as a whole last season. When your sacks leader has 7.5 and no one else has more than five, that’s a problem. Having failed to bring in edge-rushing talent via free agency or trade this offseason, the team will rely on internal improvements from the likes of Gary and Lukas Van Ness at defensive end. Second-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper should provide a substantial boost.

So far in his career, Gary has not reached the ceiling the Packers would have liked from their 12th overall pick in 2019, and at this point he probably never will. But he can be better than he was last season. Huber notes that, even coming off an ACL tear, Gary was more productive in 2023 in not only the sacks column (9), but also in underlying metrics like quarterback hits (22 in 2023 versus 15 in ’24). Before he got hurt in 2022, he had accumulated six sacks and 12 hits in nine games played.

His impressive rebound the following season prompted a four-year, $96 million extension that kicked in last year. Gary has work to do to make the team’s decision look worthwhile. Encouragingly, he said he was “off to a better start” this year in training camp.

“Everybody had a great offseason up until this point getting back to OTAs, just how we been locked in Monday to Thursday. Even us meeting on the weekends, having film studies, I feel like we really locked in as a group. Things that we didn’t do last year at this point.”

First Pro Bowl Appearance Provided Valuable Experience

Perhaps Gary can also apply some of the insights he gleaned from other Pro Bowlers.

“I was able to sit back, pick a couple brains from top pass rushers across the league,” he said. “Talk to offensive linemen. Got a couple tells on what they like seeing from me and what they don’t. Being able to talk to the top guys around the league, bounce ideas off each other and also compete at a high level.”

Sharing the sideline with fellow Pro Bowl DEs Joey Bosa (49ers) and Micah Parsons (Cowboys) is certainly an opportunity to appreciate -all the better if Gary is able to incorporate any shred of wisdom from two of his generation’s best.

Calling his selection an “honor” and a “privilege,” if the Packers aren’t in the Super Bowl, Gary wants to join the festivities again. “For sure a trip I would love to take every year.”

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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