Packers insider provides excellent update on Rashan Gary
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur recently provided a very encouraging update on cornerback Eric Stokes and now, The Athletic's Matt Schneidman recenlty provided an excellent update on star pass rusher, Rashan Gary: He has been rehabbing extensively on the side at practice and looks like he could get three sacks in a game […]
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur recently provided a very encouraging update on cornerback Eric Stokes and now, The Athletic's Matt Schneidman recenlty provided an excellent update on star pass rusher, Rashan Gary:
He has been rehabbing extensively on the side at practice and looks like he could get three sacks in a game right now. I’m exaggerating — I understand non-contact rehab is different than rushing the quarterback in an NFL game — but if there’s anyone who can return to elite form after a major injury, it’s Rashan Gary. He’s a freak, and he just looks angry when he rehabs. He tore his ACL on Nov. 6. The Packers’ first game is on Sept. 10. That’s more than 10 months, right around the time when we’d expect Gary to return. Don’t be surprised if he’s playing Week 1 in Chicago. – Matt Schneidman, The Athletic
There's obviously still a long way to go, but it's easy to see why this is a big deal. Gary is easily the Packers' best pass rusher and he's in the top-10 league-wide, as well.
Getting Gary back by Week 1 not only keeps the pass rush intact, but it'll allow rookie Lukas Van Ness to ease into his first year as the third pass-rushing option. That's big because, obviously, the NFL is a completely different animal when it comes to what teams ask players to do. College is more about just go out and play, whereas the NFL is about processing before reacting.
"He [defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery] definitely said our days of lining up and just playing ball are over," rookie defensive linemen Colby Wooden told reporters Tuesday. "Now you have to think. You have to see backfield sets, tight end sets, what they like to do out of this formation, what type of runs can I get out of this formation, [and] what type of blocks, you know?"
The Packers have mandatory minicamp next week, so don't expect to see Gary participating in drills, but it'll certainly be interesting to see how the team handles his situation once training camp starts. That's the next big clue that will let us know whether or not he'll be ready by Week 1.
You can check out Schneidman's full column, here.
Featured image via Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
