Almost all of the focus this offseason has been on the quarterback position for the Green Bay Packers. It is the start of a new era as Aaron Rodgers is out after being traded to the New York Jets, with Jordan Love tasked with replacing him.
Everyone will be watching Love to see how he responds to being named the starter after being selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. But, he isn’t the only former first-round pick that people will be keeping tabs on this offseason.
Another player that will certainly be garnering attention is pass rusher, Rashan Gary. A major breakout seemed to be underway in 2022 before he suffered a torn ACL during the Packers’ Week 9 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
In nine games, Gary picked up 6.0 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits. He was successfully building upon the strong 2021 campaign that he put together when he registered 9.5 sacks with 47 pressures.
Given his production and the trajectory that Gary was on, it should come as no surprise that Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes that he is the one player the Packers need to prioritize working out an extension with. There are multiple reasons why an extension makes sense, with money being paramount.
The Packers’ cap situation isn’t great, as they have $7.8 million in space available. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, this would be a good time for Green Bay to enter contract discussions with the Michigan product. This is very likely the last time they will have a chance to ink a deal with him that isn’t top-of-the-market pricing.
Should Gary showcase that he is healthy and back to form during the 2023 season, he will be in line for some huge offers during the 2024 offseason. Getting a deal done now would potentially save the Packers millions of dollars, something that would greatly benefit them heading into the future.
Locking in an important piece of their defense long-term can only be a good thing for the Packers. If they can save any money in the process, as a big money deal for Love could be on the horizon if he plays well, it is a win for the franchise.