The Dallas Cowboys reportedly narrowly missed out on trading for Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who landed with the Baltimore Ravens in a historic blockbuster. The Cowboys have been linked to impending unrestricted free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson, an All-Pro who led the NFL in sacks in 2024. Hendrickson may still land in Dallas, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made a different move on Monday morning.
Last August, the Cowboys and Packers executed the blockbuster trade that sent All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons from Dallas to Green Bay. The Packers received Parsons, while the Cowboys received two first-round draft picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Jones went back to the Packers well.
According to The Athletic‘s Dianni Russini, the Green Bay Packers traded edge rusher Rashan Gary to Dallas. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Cowboys sent the Packers a 2027 fourth-round pick in exchange for the 28-year-old Michigan alum.
Green Bay selected Gary out of Michigan with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. While Gary was highly productive over seven seasons, he struggled to live up to the expectations he shouldered entering the league. All told, Gary recorded 46.5 sacks, 46 tackles for loss, 111 quarterback hits, and 271 tackles (154 solo) across 106 games (74 starts). In 2025, Gary notched 7.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits, and 45 tackles (25 solo).
In January, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky made the case as to why the Packers would cut Gary. If Gary was destined to become a cap casualty, then the Packers did well to find a trade partner and get any compensation back for him at all.
“Despite playing all 17 games, Gary never recorded another sack after the seventh game of the season,” Demovsky wrote. “He played only 58.3% of the defensive snaps, something Packers coach Matt LaFleur explained as normal because he has “never been a huge snap-count guy.” Gary has had seven seasons to prove he is a major impact player, so what could possibly change in Year 8?”
Demovsky added, “Gary has the Packers’ second-highest cap charge for 2026 at $28.021 million. The Packers would pick up $10.978 million in cap space if they let him go (or $19.5 million if it were designated as a post-June 1 cut).”
Gary made it seem like he had been released from the Packers by posting a lengthy goodbye to Green Bay on Friday. However, he quickly deleted it, and Demovsky reported, “Gary has not been told he will be released or traded. In fact, his IG account was hacked.”
Now, Gary’s goodbye to Green Bay is official. He will look to improve a Cowboys defense that finished last in scoring (30.1 points), last in passing defense (251.5 yards per game), third-worst in total yards (377 per game), and 23rd in rushing defense (125.5 yards per game).
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