The Green Bay Packers are getting one of their best defensive players back in the fold. According to a report from ESPN, Green Bay is activating edge rusher Rashan Gary off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Monday.
Gary missed the final eight games of last season after tearing his ACL during Green Bay’s Week 9 loss against the division rival Detroit Lions. He had collected 6 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits in the team’s nine games to that point.
A first-round pick back in 2019, Gary is set to play the 2023 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which will see him count against the cap for just south of $10.9 million. Obviously, working his way back from a torn ACL and ensuring that he stays healthy will be priority No. 1 for both Gary and the Packers, but affecting the quarterback on a consistent basis will be a close second — especially given that the Packers will likely be counting on their defense to take a step forward in the first season of the post-Aaron Rodgers era.
Players tend to not quite be themselves in their first season following a significant injury, but if Gary can recapture anything close to the form he showed during his third NFL season — during which he totaled a career-best 9.5 sacks and and ranked third in the NFL with 81 total pressures, according to Tru Media — then he should be able to secure himself a pretty significant payday next winter.
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Even if he comes back and just flashes some of the upside as a pass rusher that he has shown through the first portion of his career, Gary should be able to find a pretty sizable deal if he reaches free agency. Teams are always looking for as many players as possible to rush the passer, and Gary has proven that he can get after it like few other players in the league.
