What To Expect From Rashan Gary In Year Two
Let’s start this off by being brutally honest. Rashan Gary isn’t going to come in and put together a 10-sack season. Fans should be tempering their expectations for the second-year pass rusher due to the role that he will play.
Mike Pettine doesn’t have a ton of room for three pass rushers on the field at the same time. However, he will work to get Gary on the field more.
Standing in at 6-foot-5 and 277 pounds, the Packers should consider utilizing Gary on the line a bit more. While he may project better as an edge rusher, Green Bay has one of the top pass-rushing duos in the league. Gary isn’t going to play ahead of either Smith.
Instead, the Packers could focus on unleashing Gary on the middle of the offensive line. He certainly has the strength, athleticism, and size to play alongside Kenny Clark on the line.
Should the Packers choose not to go that route, Gary isn’t going to see a ton of reps. He should be able to improve his numbers from 2019, but it all depends on how much Green Bay uses him.
It would be reasonable to expect Gary to come up with around 45 total tackles, five sacks, and a couple forced fumbles if he plays on the line. On the other hand, if he is used as an edge rusher behind the two Smith’s, he could end up with around 30 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble.
Green Bay needs to figure out ways to get their second-year defensive weapon on the field. They drafted Gary No. 12 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft and it would be a waste if they can’t find a role for him.
