Rashan Gary, Dallas Cowboys
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Rashan Gary #52 of the Green Bay Packers reacts after a defensive stop during the second half against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on October 23, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys and team owner Jerry Jones may not have had the blockbuster offseason that they were hinting at having, but they did make a big trade with the Green Bay Packers to acquire pass rusher Rashan Gary.
In order to acquire Gary from the Packers, the Cowboys only had to give up a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Being able to acquire a talented pass rusher for a fourth-round pick one year out was a solid move for Dallas. Gary will look to turn things around after a disappointing finish to the 2025 NFL season in Green Bay.
After recording 7.5 sacks in the first half of the season, Gary didn’t record a single sack in the second half of the year. That led to Packers fans being frustrated with him and clearly the team felt the same way.
Now, Gary is focused on proving to the NFL and the Cowboys that he is one of the top pass rushers in the league.
Rashan Gary Makes Bold Comments in First Cowboys’ Press Conference
While meeting with the media for the first time in Dallas, Gary boldly proclaimed himself to be one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
“Turn it around, man. I’m one of the best in the league,” Gary said.
“I feel like anything that I need to do in terms of setting the edge, knocking things back, trying to keep things under control, being able to two-gap in situations that I need, and just being able just to be the anchor that I am.”
The Cowboys can only hope that Gary is able to live up to the hype that he has brought on himself. Being one of the best pass rushers in the NFL takes a lot more production than he has shown in his first seven seasons.
What Will Rashan Gary Bring to the Dallas Defense?
Taking a look at Gary’s career to this point in time, there are reasons to be optimistic about him. However, there are also reasons to be concerned.
Gary has never recorded more than 9.5 sacks in a single season.
Throughout his entire seven-year NFL career, the 28-year-old defensive end has totaled 270 tackles, 46.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, and six defended passes. He has produced solid numbers, but they certainly aren’t elite.
Dallas acquired Gary hoping that he could be the answer to the void left by Micah Parsons. He won’t be able to do it by himself, but he certainly upgraded the defense.
It will be interesting to see if Gary can back up his bold comments on the field. He has set the stage for himself to turn things around with the Cowboys, but he’ll need to prove that he can do it.