Despite a breakout season in which he was one of the most productive and efficient edge rushers in football, Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary still isn’t universally viewed as a top player at edge rusher entering the 2022 season.
In a poll of over 50 NFL executives, coaches and players conducted by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Gary didn’t make the top 10 or even the honorable mention section among the league’s edge rushers. He was listed among those “also receiving votes.”
One poll doesn’t necessarily provide a perfectly accurate representation of the league’s viewpoint on where a player stands among peers, but this one does show that Gary – who led the Packers in sacks (9.5) and quarterback hits (28) in 2021 – isn’t yet viewed as a solidified star in the NFL after just one terrific season.
No wonder Gary is “hungrier” than ever to raise his game to even another level in 2022.
“If anything, it made me hungry,” Gary said about his 2021 season, per Mike Spofford of Packers.com. “It made me go back, watch film, see what I put on tape, see areas of my pass rush, my run defense and things that I could improve on.”
Another step forward from Gary and everyone in the league will consider him one of the game’s best.
The 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Gary finally became a full-time player for the Packers in 2021 after developing behind Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith for two seasons. It was worth the wait. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished second among NFL edge rushers in pressures (81), second in win rate (26.0), eighth in pass-rush grade (88.9) and third in pass rush productivity (10.4).
The key for Gary now will be maintaining his production and disruption now that everyone in the NFL is aware of his immense capabilities as a rusher. He must constantly evolve and improve as the league attempts to find ways to mitigate his impact as a player, both in terms of finding faults in his tape and assigning more attention to him on every play.
Every season is a chance for an ascending young player to prove his status among peers.
By this time next year, Gary could easily find himself cemented as a top edge rusher and in line for a massive new contract from the Packers.
[listicle id=81801]