This week on Cowboys Overtime, Mac Engel and Nick Harris discuss Jerry Jones hinting at free-agent moves, the Cowboys tagging wide receiver George Pickens, Dallas committing to Javonte Williams and the team’s NFL Draft outlook. By Steve Wilson
It’s been a whirlwind of a week for new Dallas Cowboys defensive end Rashan Gary.
Last Friday, as social media rumors swirled about his potential release from the Green Bay Packers, a goodbye post to the only NFL team he’s ever known was posted to his Instagram page. No release had been made official by the team, and the post was taken down soon after with a comment saying that his account had been hacked.
Just three days later, his time in Green Bay would officially come to and end, as the Packers dealt him to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
“I get a phone call from the agent, and he says a deal is done,” Gary told the local media on Thursday. “I just can’t wait to go to work.”
In seven seasons with the Packers, Gary played in 106 games and accumulated 46.5 sacks and 271 total tackles. He served as a captain, and he plans on bringing a similar type of on-field and locker room presence to Dallas.
“I’m a guy that prides myself in going to work and keeping my head down,” he said. “I’m a dog. I’m coming in to be myself, to lead by example and to help the team in the best way I can. Being effective, first to third down. And if I need to go on fourth down, so be it. Be dominant, I’ll do what I got to do to get this star to a Super Bowl. That’s all I want.”
“In terms of the run, I’m one of the best in the league. Anything I need to do in terms of setting the edge, knocking things back, trying to keep things under control and just being the anchor that I am, that’s what I’m going to bring. I’ll be as effective as I can be.”
Gary’s time with the Packers briefly overlapped with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker who was a defensive quality control analyst with the team in 2019 and 2020. Parker will now oversee Gary’s involvement in his first unit as a coordinator, starting with Gary joining the outside linebacker room.
“Just having [Parker] see me when I was coming in as a young player and him go get more experience coaching,” Gary said. “Now, him becoming the DC and me going into my eighth year and being a proven elite player in the league. It’s kind of a full circle moment. It’s a great feeling.”
“When you talk to CP, he knows ball. Coverages, fronts, the in and outs, understanding the weaknesses of offenses and understanding where to put players to succeed. That’s what I got from the conversation I had with him. That’s why he has the position he has now ... He’s hungry and he wants it.”
It’s not just Parker that Gary will share a reunion with. Former teammate Kenny Clark was one of the first people he called when he found out he was being traded.
“KC is my dog,” he said. “I was in Green Bay for seven years, and I was with KC for all of those seven. He got to watch me mature as a man, mature as a player and also give me key pointers on the way up. One thing I love about KC, he’s a guy that prides himself on the process. He loves ball. Understanding how good each other can be, we push each other for that.”
When Clark played against the Packers for the first time after being traded in August 2025, he gave Gary his jersey after the game. The two share a close relationship that has spanned throughout their NFL careers, and it will continue in Dallas.
“In this business, opportunities like this don’t come often to be able to play with the same player again,” he said.
While Gary is entering his eighth season, he feels confident about his presence in being able to help turn around a defense that was 30th in yards allowed per game in 2025. For him, it’s about sticking to the simple things.
“Just stay focused, stay determined,” he said. “When you have goals, don’t stop until you achieve them. It’s not going to be perfect, because nothing is perfect. You’re going to have ups and downs, but you have to be consistent. Consistency is key.”
In his brief interactions with the staff including Parker and his position coach, outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and pass rush specialist B.T. Jordan, he sees a hunger in Dallas. He looks forward to helping expand that hunger when players return to the facility on April 20.
“[The staff is] doing everything they have to do, checking the boxes,” Gary said. “They’re in there early mornings to late nights in the offseason putting this thing together. Being in the building already and seeing how hard the coaches were working is amazing. I just want to go to work, because I see how much it means to the coaches and how bad they want it. I want it just as bad as them, maybe even more.”