Rashan Gary’s Future in Green Bay Hinges on One Thing: The Price Tag
There’s no question Rashan Gary has been a tone-setter in Green Bay over the years - a former first-round pick who’s grown into a respected locker room voice and, at times, a game-changing pass rusher. But as the Packers head into a pivotal offseason, the question isn’t whether Gary still has value. It’s whether that value matches the $28 million cap hit he’s currently set to carry into 2026.
The short answer? Not even close.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst didn’t shut the door on Gary’s return during his end-of-season press conference. In fact, he said he expects all players under contract - Gary included - to be back next season.
He even acknowledged Gary’s hot start to the year, saying, *“I thought he started out really, really strong. He had a lot of production early.”
- But Gutekunst also didn’t shy away from the obvious: Gary’s production dipped hard down the stretch. That’s not just a perception - it’s backed by the numbers.
Gary finished the 2025 season with 7.5 sacks, but none of them came after Week 7. That’s right - zero sacks, zero tackles for loss in the second half of the season.
His snap counts reflected that drop-off, too. As the season wore on, he was getting fewer reps than Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness.
That’s not the trajectory you want from a player commanding a top-tier cap hit.
And here’s the financial reality: Gary’s $28 million number would be the second-highest on the team in 2026, trailing only quarterback Jordan Love. For a player whose impact faded as the season progressed, that’s a tough sell.
Now, Gutekunst’s comments could be read a few ways. Maybe he truly believes Gary can rebound and return to form.
Maybe he’s keeping the door open for a restructured deal. But no matter how you slice it, bringing Gary back at his current number simply isn’t feasible.
The Packers need to renegotiate - or move on.
That’s where things get complicated.
Green Bay’s edge rusher room is far from settled. Micah Parsons won’t be ready for the start of the season.
Enagbare is set to hit free agency. Van Ness has flashed, but consistency has been elusive.
And while Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver are intriguing young pieces, they’re still developing. In that context, keeping a veteran like Gary - someone who’s worn the captain’s C and led by example - makes a lot of sense.
But again, not at $28 million.
If the Packers were to release Gary after June 1, they’d free up $19.5 million in cap space. A pre-June 1 cut still nets them nearly $11 million. That’s significant flexibility for a team with multiple needs and a young quarterback they’re trying to build around.
So what’s the right move? That depends on Gary’s willingness to restructure.
If he’s open to a new deal that better reflects his recent performance - and perhaps includes some incentives tied to production - then a reunion could absolutely work. He’s still got juice, especially if used in the right role and kept fresh over the course of the season.
But if Gary insists on playing out his current contract, the Packers will have a tough decision to make. Sentimentality can’t outweigh smart roster management, especially for a franchise trying to maximize its championship window with Jordan Love under center.
Gary’s leadership was on full display after Parsons went down. He spoke about finishing strong for his fallen teammate, saying, *“We can still write our story.
Guys that’s been out the season - Tuck, D-Wy, (Parsons) - are going to be a reason why we’re going to finish strong, keeping those guys in mind.” * It was the kind of message you want from a veteran presence.
But unfortunately, the on-field results didn’t match the rallying cry. Gary’s impact remained minimal in the season’s final stretch, just as it had been for weeks before.
In the end, this is a classic NFL crossroads moment. Rashan Gary has been a key piece of the Packers’ defense for seven seasons.
He’s earned respect in the locker room and among fans. But the business side of football doesn’t care much about past accolades.
It cares about production, value, and cap management.
If a restructured deal can be worked out, Gary could still be part of Green Bay’s plans. But if not, Gutekunst’s comments may wind up being just that - comments. And the Packers will have to move forward without one of their longtime defensive anchors.