Even without a traditional offseason, the Green Bay Packers are anticipating a big jump from second-year edge rusher Rashan Gary during the 2020 season.
Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said he believes Gary has enjoyed a terrific offseason away from the team’s facilities and will return to Green Bay with an opportunity to take on a much bigger role for his defense.
“We’re looking forward to Rashan making a big jump,” Pettine said during a conference call with reporters on Friday. “He needs to make a big jump.”
As a rookie, Gary – the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft – produced two sacks, three tackles for losses and three quarterback hits while playing 244 snaps on defense. He was a rotational player behind veteran starters Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, but more opportunities should be available in 2020. Backup Kyler Fackrell departed in free agency and the Packers want to lessen the load down-to-down on both the Smiths, opening the door for Gary to become a bigger part of the defense.
“I do see Rashan taking a significantly increased role,” Pettine said. “I do think at times Preston and Z probably played a little too much, we want to take some off their plate. Rashan is certainly built to handle giving those guys a break.”
Pettine mentioned providing Gary with more chances to play on early downs, noting his physicality and violence setting the edge against the run as evidence for his potential value at outside linebacker on first and second down.
Pettine and the Packers also want to take advantage of Gary’s ability to slide inside and rush the quarterback over the guard or center, much like the defense already does with Za’Darius Smith.
“I think because of his skillset, we can use him more like we’ve used Z, on third down especially, where he can move down and rush from the tackle spot, as opposed to only on the edge,” Pettine said.
With Fackrell gone and the Smiths unlikely to both play almost 900 snaps in 2020, Gary’s opportunity is arriving. The Packers are banking him taking full advantage as a second-year player.
