Finding consistency in the Green Bay Packers’ pass rush has been a season-long challenge. Part of the problem stems from the inconsistent production of their star player, Rashan Gary.
How inconsistent was Gary? Well, heading into the final week of the regular season, he has a lower total pressure (44) than Aidan Hutchinson (45). It’s true that the Detroit Lions edge is one of the best running backs in the NFL. He also hasn’t played since Week 6.
If you were lucky enough to not see the injury, Hutchinson suffered a gruesome leg injury in the second half of Detroit’s season-ending game against the Dallas Cowboys. However, by the time he was injured, Hutchinson was completely wrecked.
Pro Football Focus still considers Hutchinson the best player in the league. He also remains at the top of the leaderboard in pass and rush win percentage (38.4) among all defensive linemen.
Meanwhile, Gary was selected to his first Pro Bowl on Thursday. However, this distinction does not make Gary one of the best edge rushers in football this season.
Gary’s 44 tackles in 2024 rank 45th among pass rushers, and his 12.8 pass rush win percentage ranks 38th among pass rushers with at least 100 snaps in quick feed mode. The other glaring stat is that Gary’s 6.5 sacks this season are also fewer than Hutchinson’s 7.5 sacks, despite playing 330 more snaps on defense.
Gary is playing defense in a modern scheme and his play has improved as the season has gone on. Since his bye, he has recorded four sacks and 24-of-44 pressures.
Still, those numbers don’t match the production expected when Green Bay gave him a four-year contract extension last season, making him one of the top 10 highest-paid players at the position.
But this season? There is no indication that Gary was even a top-30 player.
At the beginning of the year, the Packers were counting on Gary to continue to rise as one of the NFL’s top players. Unfortunately, it was to no avail as Gary was outplayed by a player who had not played for almost three months.
As the playoffs approach, Green Bay needs Gary to find another tackle. If he can do this, the Packers defense could reach modern heights and become an even greater threat to opposing teams. If not, his disappointing season could prove costly when it matters most.
