Cory's Corner: Paging Rashan Gary
To say that the six-year pro is having a career depression is a huge understatement.
You know that an NFL player is struggling when a random person comes up to me and asks, “Is Rashan Gary hurt? I never hear his name.”
Gary came into training camp with the energy of a young lion. His torn ACL from 2022 fully behind him, he was the betting favorite to be the Packers defensive player of the year. He looked quick in drills and in pads and it was obviously only a matter of time before the Packers unleashed Gary.
Then the season opener came down in Brazil. Gary played in 64 percent of the defensive snaps, tallying three total tackles in a tight loss to the Eagles. The next game vs. the Colts, Gary played 66 percent of the defensive snaps but didn’t tally a single tackle.
The third game was a trip to Nashville to take on overmatched quarterback Will Levis. He played 69 percent of the defensive snaps and had a couple of tackles. Then Minnesota came to Lambeau Field. Gary played in 66 percent of the defensive snaps with four total tackles. Then the Packers went out west to take on the Rams. Gary played in 63 percent of the snaps and had two total tackles.
And finally, Arizona came to Green Bay this past Sunday. Gary played in 66 percent of the defensive snaps with only three total tackles.
The Packers have played six games and Gary’s face should be on the back of a milk carton. He hasn’t given this defense much electricity or juice. According to Pro Football Focus, Gary is ranked 69th among all edge rushers. To put that into perspective, the Bears have Darnell Taylor, DeMarcus Walker and Montez Sweat ranked higher.
Gary only has one sack and he isn’t getting disruptions either. He only has seven quarterback hurries, but there have been three games where he has totaled zero.
This complete drop-off doesn’t make sense. This year was supposed to be the year things clicked as Gary drove this defense to new heights. I mean, Gary had 30 quarterback pressures and nine sacks last year.
Unless something drastic happens, the 26-year-old could book a season with only a couple sacks and less than 35 total tackles. Those are numbers that could rival his rookie season. That isn’t why the Packers gave him a four-year, $107.5 million extension last October.
The only person that truly knows why this is happening is Gary. The blocks that he could shed easily, he cannot shed this year. The gaps that he could fill with ease last year he is a step slow now.
The Packers need Gary for a long postseason run. If he can sprinkle a few big plays in moments, the Packers’ chances of winning the NFC are instantly so much better.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (42)
TKWorldWide
October 19, 2024 at 07:10 am
Knee jerk explanation is to question his effort. I have no evidence there but it sure looks ok to me. I’d love to hear his coach’s unfiltered take on what’s going on because the results thus far are very disappointing.
TarynsEyes
October 19, 2024 at 07:50 am
I'm not saying it's the reason, but it could be he has fallen into the 'I got mine' mentality. Sure, preseason after a contract extension can have eyes seeing what isn't really seen, or shown, and a reason why preseason play, or participation ends with the start of the real season. Perhaps it's the Halfry defense, and Gary has taken it to mean only play half-way. I don't know what's up, but as long as they keep winning, I'll be like most others and simply ignore the possible issues of the now and the effect on the future, until the future gets hurt by it.
LLCHESTY
October 19, 2024 at 08:01 am
Sacks usually come in bunches. He had a big hit last week on Murray and is getting close a few times every game. He is the main focus of blocking schemes and will have to get used to nothing coming easy but I think he'll be fine by the end of the season.
LLCHESTY
October 19, 2024 at 09:12 am
Van Ness is the one you'd really like to see the light bulb click on for but I think he'll need to put in an off-season of work on adding to his pass rush repertoire. I've been hoping for years the Packers would add a speed rusher to their group of larger Edge players. Will McDonald is off to a monster start in his 2nd season with seven sacks and two forced fumbles. Unfortunately it looks like next year's class is mainly larger players besides the kid from Tennessee that is most likely a top 10 pick.
Coldworld
October 19, 2024 at 11:29 am
Who is a threat thus far? Wyatt perhaps but he’s injured. It’s not just Gary (who actually was good last week if not primarily tasked with getting Murray down). We have seen little from any member of this front. A lot of that is we have seen very goid contain, but that’s not a full answer. We also have seen very little stunting or moving around. It’s a surprisingly vanilla usage. It’s not yielded results outside of one half even against more static QBs. Some of that may be Gary, but there is a broader problem here that the focus on Gary is obscuring.
Since'61
October 19, 2024 at 08:14 am
I had expected/hoped that Gary would be a game wrecker for the Packers by this point. I don't know what is going on with him but his performance has been disappointing so far this season. The coaches must be aware of his performance. The question is what are they doing to help him improve?
The Packers will need him to improve as they face the better teams on their schedule. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since '61
Leatherhead
October 19, 2024 at 11:41 am
I'm going to do Math. In 6 games there have been 390 snaps against the defense, or about 65 per game. Gary plays more snaps than any other DE, and is on the field almost 2/3 of the time. So 2/3 of 65 is about 44. That's how many snaps he's on the field.
Some of those snaps are runs away from his side of the field, some of those snaps are quick throws. He's tied with Smith and Wilson for tackles. He draws his fair share of double teams on the pass rush.
I think the players around Gary have gotten a little better, but I'm not really sure how much Gary has slipped. I still think it's too early in the season to draw conclusions and I think/hope Gary will have some of those big splash plays that everybody likes.
TKWorldWide
October 21, 2024 at 09:34 pm
Same page.
Savage57
October 19, 2024 at 08:18 am
It's called Contractitis.
Clark, Alexander and now Gary have all gotten it, so it's contagious.
It typically manifests shortly after large, guaranteed money contracts are signed.
Common symptoms include reduced productivity, increased attitude, excuses and injury susceptibility.
Extreme cases can become terminal and career-ending.
Guam
October 19, 2024 at 08:46 am
Sadly I think you may be right Doctor Savage.
LLCHESTY
October 19, 2024 at 08:26 am
If he doesn't show more production down the stretch they could save $8.7 million by releasing him before the 3rd day of the new year. $25 M dead cap hit but they'd save about half that on his salary and that roster bonus. But that would make keeping Smith and finding another pass rusher a priority. Arizona is a good example of what a D looks like without a rush.
Guam
October 19, 2024 at 08:44 am
If the D-line issue were just Gary that might be okay, but others on the D-line are suffering from the same "ailment". Clark and Smith are two other high dollar DL that are underperforming their contracts and Van Ness is underperforming his draft status. Wyatt, Slaton and Enagbare have been having adequate to decent years, particularly considering their draft status and rookie contracts. Brooks and Wooden have been okay.
The Packer D needs Gary, Clark and Smith to start performing to their contracts. I will cut Van Ness a little more slack as a second year guy on his rookie contract, but he does need to start showing improvement.
LLCHESTY
October 19, 2024 at 09:13 am
Preston has been his usual steady self, he has 10 pressures on the year after having 23 last year per PFR. He's also playing a smaller percentage of snaps this year so he's actually off to better start this year.
Guam
October 19, 2024 at 09:30 am
I know his stats aren't far off last year although sacks are down a touch, but my eye test says he looks a bit slower than he used to be. Maybe just my general displeasure with the D-line, but I don't think he is quite performing to his contract.
NitschkeFan
October 19, 2024 at 09:07 am
I hate to trade valuable draft capital, but the DL is underperforming so perhaps a trade would help the team really contend for a title.
Cleveland should be a seller (don't know that they are) and Myles Garrett continues to play well.
Raiders should be sellers, and Maxx Crosby would be an excellent addition.
I assume it would take a 1st round pick plus a young player (LVN? Enagbare?) to pry one of those guys loose and of course the salary cap hit would need to be solved. But what an upgrade to the DL that would be!
bjkdad44
October 19, 2024 at 04:45 pm
Only… what if??
beerandbrats
October 19, 2024 at 09:27 am
Perhaps Gary is not as effective with a 4 man line? In the 3-4 defense, Gary had 3 tackles next to him on the line. That means the OT had to worry about Gary and the Packers DT next to him.
Now Gary only has 2 DTs next to him, so the OT is more focused on Gary instead of 2 defenders.
In other words, perhaps Gary needs that extra defensive tackle on the line next to him to be as disruptive as he was in the past?
LLCHESTY
October 19, 2024 at 12:54 pm
This isn't really true as they were usually in a base 3-4 less than ⅓ of the time and that wouldn't be on passing downs. So as far as rushing the passer it was maybe 5-10 plays a game he was rushing from a 5 man line.
ricky
October 19, 2024 at 10:14 am
There is a possibility beyond the "I got paid, so who cares" scenario proposed by several posters. It's more simple: that Gary looked good when he was facing familiar faces, and no one was seriously trying to keep him from doing his job as he eased his way into the new defensive scheme. Now, he is thinking more, rather than instinctively reacting to what is going on. He is facing players whose job it is, in a real game, to keep him from doing his job. Add in that he is probably still recovering from a very serious knee injury, and you have a guy who is less effective at the start of the season. Approximately two-thirds of the season is still ahead. Lets wait until all the games have been played before making a definitive judgment. Should he be playing better? Absolutely. Is he being limited by learning a new system, and adjusting to a new role? Quite possibly.
WD
October 19, 2024 at 10:25 am
Frankly, I think if there was more push up the middle the edge would be more effective. We need all four to pick up their game. The pressure on the QB has been mediocre at best. I think it would help if the defense used some creative blitz's once in awhile. I think it is premature to use Gary as a scapegoat at this point.
LLCHESTY
October 19, 2024 at 12:58 pm
"if the defense used some creative blitz's once in awhile. " They have been, that's how they got pressure on Stafford in the 2nd half of the Rams game.
Hafley uses the blitz very judiciously, as he should. You live by the blitz you die by the blitz, especially against good QBs. One thing I'd like to see less of is them sending 6 rushers. It's been working so far but against a good QB that's a recipe for disaster. Rather see them showing 6 and sending 5.
NFLfan
October 19, 2024 at 11:22 am
It would interesting to do a formal study on player regression after big paydays. Somehow, a team needs to suss out a player's motivation for high level play (before writing a big check). I work for a large corporation and they now administer pre-interview testing to weed out problem people, I would think NFL teams would rely on a psychological profile as well as competent play before shelling out huge sums to the wrong people.
IMO, 'contractitis' does not affect players with high character. I would never wonder about Love or McKinney, for example--I don't feel the same about Alexander.
bjkdad44
October 19, 2024 at 04:49 pm
Wonder why the two downvotes?
LeotisHarris
October 19, 2024 at 08:43 pm
"I work for a large corporation and they now administer pre-interview testing to weed out problem people,"
That is truly a state-of-the-art, cutting-edge process never before seen in corporate America. We all know how successful large corporations are at weeding out "problem people."
IMO, simple fans cannot be aware of what is being asked of players, what their assignments are, and how their performance is being judged by their position coaches. You were comfortable identifying my "disturbing" lack of character for publicly offering writing tips to a CHTV writer. I found that interesting coming from a person who can so easily question the very core of a professional athlete's dedication to his craft simply from what she hears on EPSN or reads on a fan site.
We don't and can't know what these men go through to prepare for their jobs. For each of them to get where they are took one hell of a lot of character. Who are you to question that?
Bitternotsour
October 19, 2024 at 11:09 pm
"problem people" that seems to be shorthand for something, can't quite put my finger on it.
Leatherhead
October 20, 2024 at 08:57 am
I'm a problem person, and I think I'm in good company. Gandhi was a problem person. Rosa Parks was a problem person, Sam Adams was a problem person, Tesla was a problem person. Many, many, more. Problem people are essential if you want to have change, and without change, things stagnate and die.
The challenge is figuring out how to use "problem people" in a way that benefits your organization. I think in the long run, that's a lot better than just excluding them at the door so everybody else can engage in groupthink.
Bitternotsour
October 20, 2024 at 09:41 am
I was a problem person who mellowed as i got old. I made a regular practice of hiring problem people. As a manager it can be a pain in the ass, but the rewards often outpace the prevalent pains in one's ass.
I find it hard to believe that "super mega corp" screens out the brilliant. I guess mediocrity is it's own reward?
Finally, I remember a certain "bad moon" Rison contributing brilliantly to a super bowl. How many of us would have liked to had Richard Sherman in his prime. Also, Charles Woodson was a major pain/problem in his day.
13TimeChamps
October 20, 2024 at 10:05 am
Sorry, I just couldn't let this one slide. I really did try though.
Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Sam Adams, Tesla.......and Leatherhead.
I almost spit my coffee out. But, as the saying goes, one can't love anyone else until he can learn to love himself. You've certainly got the second part of that covered.
Leatherhead
October 20, 2024 at 10:08 am
Why, thank you 13x. That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Actually, Leatherhead isn't a real person....you know that, right? I mean, it's a pseudonym. The actual guy behind the pseudonym is a lot different than what you've projected .
13TimeChamps
October 20, 2024 at 10:18 am
Oh ok. Thank you for clearing that up. I had no idea.
Enjoy the game!
Untylu1968
October 19, 2024 at 12:22 pm
4-2 and we just need something to bitch and moan about!? It's not like they're standing out there with a thumb up their ass, giving zero effort. They happen to be going against other professionals who also have a job to do. Like I've said in past posts, how's about we just let the season play out before flying off the handle.. If they suck all season long, then off with their heads!!
NFLfan
October 19, 2024 at 06:56 pm
I'm not bitching and moaning" I am pointing out that though Green Bay ranks second in paying for Defense the expensive front 4 have
not lived up to expectations.
Bitternotsour
October 19, 2024 at 11:04 pm
Let's engage in ideation. You work for a "large corporation", if you're high enough up the food chain it's an excercise that's typically done.
Let's start with this, imagine for a moment that your expectations are actually born of a lack of vision and understanding of the things of which you speak. Now imagine just watching the football taking place on your television and judging the outcome based on the final score and not your expectations. Are you following? In other words, you're out of your element Donnie.
Leatherhead
October 19, 2024 at 02:27 pm
IT's amazing we can keep anybody out of the endzone.
Clark isn't having a good year. Neither is Gary. Walker needs to be benched. Stokes needs to be benched. McDuffie needs to be benched Van Ness is a bust. Smith is old and not worth the money.
Did I just about get it all covered? Or did I forget somebody?
GregC
October 19, 2024 at 03:19 pm
You forgot Nixon. He sucks too. It is interesting how the defense is playing pretty well overall while fans are unhappy with most of the players. I tend to think of the defense as a unit rather than separate players.
Bitternotsour
October 19, 2024 at 11:12 pm
I guess it's good that there isn't one specific player that's getting all the negative attention, most of these folks just basically hate the team they profess to follow.
stockholder
October 19, 2024 at 03:03 pm
Gary is done with the packers.
And Van Ess isn't far behind.
Neither will be JJ watt because they lack muscle.
And both don't have the speed of TJ Watt or his ability.
So there it is. The 4 front needs height and Power.
Unless their going back to the 3-4-4.
It's time to move on.
Packerpasty
October 20, 2024 at 11:19 am
so Gutes isn't a great judge of defensive players?? At least the big pass rushers...he values what they physically look like and thinks they should turn out great...not so much with Van Ness and Gary...although I think for the most part Gary has been doing his job, if he got more help from the interior or the other end of the line he would. be fine..
PatrickGB
October 20, 2024 at 05:55 am
Perhaps offensive lineman are getting better? The league seems to be heading that way and emphasizing the O-line more and scheming up better.
PhantomII
October 20, 2024 at 10:29 am
Gary and LVN need more pass rush moves than pure power. Enagbare showed a little bit of juice and wiggle to get past OT's. I think the answer is a Cooper also coming in hot on 3rd and long situations in order for the defense to stop better teams more often than not. When I think back on really good 4 man fronts, none of our players really come close to them. Clark in his youth would have been one possibly....none of the others. SF had as good of one as any a few years back but they are losing players also and getting a little older. Pretty hard to just swap schemes and cover the warts. It takes time and drafts to get better. It would be nice to get Wyatt back soon, he is young and disrupts the OL when he is in there. GPG
Packerpasty
October 20, 2024 at 11:20 am
LVN hasn't shown that he's learned any new moves so far, just thinks he can out power the other guy...not working in the NFL..
Leatherhead
October 20, 2024 at 11:52 am
I think that it's early in the season, and we've played a lot of "contain" pass rush, where we're focused on not letting the QB escape the pocket and forcing him to throw it or eat it.
Think about this for a moment: If a guy gets loose from the pocket and scrambles 15 yards for a first down, how many sacks does it take to offset that. What if he does it a couple of times a game, like Willis did against Tennessee? It seems to me like a good scramble or two offsets sacks.
And penalties for a late hit on the QB. How many of those have we taken? Remember that season when Clay Matthews couldn't give a QB a dirty look without getting called for roughing?
It's not all about sacks. The Packers are choosing to keep the QB in the pocket and make him throw. QBs are completing a slightly lower than average percentage, and they're throwing interceptions interceptions at a real high rate, so obviously we're getting some pressure on the QB to throw it before he wants to, we're not. We're limiting the scrambles and the late hit penalties and getting turnovers. I'd sacrifice some sacks for that.