Green Bay Packers: Rookie Rashan Gary showing signs of growth
By Joe Kipp
Green Bay Packers rookie outside linebacker Rashan Gary seems to finally be putting it together after some nice performances in recent weeks.
Expectations were high when Rashan Gary was drafted with the 12th overall pick in this past April’s draft. With such pedigree comes lofty checkpoints, some of which Gary has had yet to reach in his inaugural NFL season.
But this was likely the plan the Green Bay Packers had for Gary all along. With teammates Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith logging the majority of playing time at the outside linebacker position — and excelling while doing it — Gary has been afforded the opportunity to sit and learn in his role.
In other words, the Smith Bros. were brought in via free agency to make an immediate impact on Green Bay’s defense, while Gary’s role was always meant to be minimal. And just because Gary hasn’t become the final version of himself doesn’t mean he hasn’t impressed.
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Gary logged his first career sack in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. It wasn’t until this past Sunday against the Chicago Bears when he would notch his second. And although it was a significant drought without a sack, Gary has steadily shown progress in the meantime.
Gary’s performance this past Sunday was arguably the best of his young NFL career. He notched three solo tackles and a sack while playing 18 defensive snaps. His sack came just before the two-minute warning in the first-half when the Bears were driving to score in the red zone, knocking Chicago back six yards and putting them behind the sticks. Chicago settled for a field goal three plays later.
Gary had some words to say about his performance against the Bears and how far he’s come over the course of the season (via Packers.com):
"“From Game 1 all the way up until now I can definitely tell I’m not the same player. I’m always growing, there’s always something [to improve on]. Then, going into the next game, I’m able to play faster because I’ve seen it. The more you play, the more you see offenses, the more you notice, ‘Oh, I’ve seen this before’.”"
Of course, with a limited sample size, there’s not much to judge Gary on. After all, he’s only played 216 total defensive snaps (23 percent) through 14 games. But it’s safe to say his performances have steadily improved from week to week.
The Packers have the luxury of scaling back Gary’s snaps due to the stellar play from the Smiths, who have combined for 21.5 sacks and 129 quarterbacks pressures this season (per PFF, subscription required). Unlike most first-round picks, Gary doesn’t need to be a superstar right away.
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As Gary said himself, the more he plays, the more he’ll adapt to the speed of the NFL. But that doesn’t mean increased volume. He’s steadily seen around 15 snaps per game this season, which has proven to be effective. It may not be enough to make an immediate impact right now, but the experience should prove to be extremely vital for the rookie’s future.