A change to a 4-3 defense could facilitate Green Bay Packers defensive quarterback Rashan Gary realize his full potential as a quarterback in 2024.
After a training camp workout in which he called tackles and created pressure, Gary explained that putting his hand in the ground — as opposed to standing as a 3-4 outside linebacker — helps him be explosive without the ball.
“I feel more explosive coming out of the three-point position,” Gary said, via Bill Huber of Packers Central“Sometimes when you’re in a two-point stance, you can create more false steps. With your hand in the ground, the false steps are eliminated.”
Handing off the ball and attacking the quarterback is already paying off for Gary.
During Tuesday’s practice, Gary had three sacks in a four-play sequence, according to Huber. He outgained Rasheed Walker and Andre Dillard in pressures. The dominant overall win by the defense had the offense — including players and coaches — doing push-ups at the end of practice.
“We could just press our ears and not think and not run around,” Gary said, via Paul Bretl of ESPN La Crosse“It’s been fun so far the first two days.”
Last season, Gary tallied 9.5 sacks, 24 quarterback pressures, and 66 total pressures in 19 games, including the postseason. He was dominant in a confined role early in the season as he recovered from a 2022 ACL injury. Not surprisingly, his impact waned a bit toward the end of the season — likely a result of the long grind following a stern injury.
Now well, with a long offseason behind him and loving his novel defensive system, Gary is poised for the best season of his career in 2024.
But he’s not the only player who is content about the demands of the novel defense.
“I love having my hand in the dirt,” Lukas Van Ness said Tuesday.
