Rashan Gary

Gary racked up 4.5 sacks over the first five weeks of last season after seeing his 2022 campaign cut short by a torn ACL, and not long after the Packers rewarded him with a lucrative long-term extension. Although he appeared in every game the rest of the way, he only doubled his sack total to 9.0 and wound up just shy of the 9.5 sacks he recorded in 2021. With Green Bay moving to a 4-3 defense, Gary will play with his hand in the dirt more frequently, and the Packers will be counting on him reaching double digits in the sack department for the first time.

Gary was primed to reach double digits in the sack department after stacking up six of them during the first six games of the 2022 season, but a torn ACL in Week 9 cut short that pursuit and his campaign altogether. The Packers haven't released an official statement on Gary's recovery since placing him on injured reserve, so it's unclear exactly where he stands in his rehab. He may miss the start of the season, though, which would leave the team without its top pass rusher until he returns.

After picking up just two sacks in his rookie season back in 2019, Gary snagged five in his sophomore campaign. He nearly doubled that number last season, finishing with 9.5 sacks in 16 games. While that mark was only good for a tie for 18th in the league, he did finish among the league leaders in pressures. Gary heads into the 2022 season as the Packers' top pass rusher, and if he makes the same strides he did the last two years, it's easy to envision him reaching double digits in the sack column for the first time.

Despite being selected 12th overall in the 2019 Draft, Gary didn't make a major impact as a rookie, but he showed signs of progress in his second go-around, increasing his sack total from two to five and spending nearly twice as many defensive snaps on the field. The Packers retained fellow pass rusher Preston Smith, so the team will feature the same pass-rush trio (also, Za'Darius Smith) it employed a year ago. That likely will prevent Gary from spending significantly more time on the field, but he played over Smith at times last season and could continue eating into his workload.

The Packers paid big money to two edge rushers last offseason, but that did not stop them from selecting Gary 12th overall in the draft. Gary played second fiddle in his rookie year and tallied only a couple sacks. The team has high hopes for him, though, and although he will not start in 2020 he could find himself on the field more frequently.

The Packers don't pick near the top of the draft all that too often, but they did in 2019, and selected Gary with the 12th overall pick. Gary's college production (or lack thereof ) raised an eyebrow for some evaluators, but he possesses exceptional athleticism - his 4.58-second 40-yard dash rivals some running backs - and the Packers were willing to bet the latter is a bigger factor at the professional level. Gary heads into his rookie season with a labrum injury, which could limit his effectiveness a bit. However, the team may be counting on him to play mainly a situational role in 2019, and not an every-down one, which could mitigate the injury some. Expect him to be more project than prospect in his rookie season, but he has the potential to be an impact player long-term.