The Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns was a shock for the Green Bay Packers. Not only did the Browns come back within the final four minutes of the game, but the Green Bay offense couldn’t move the ball effectively, scoring just 10 points after back-to-back 27-point performances.

However, Rashan Gary provided a glimmer of hope, cementing himself as a defensive figurehead.

Gary recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss, leading the team in both. With 4.5 sacks on the season, he’s on track to reach double digits by the end of the year, breaking his career-high of 9.5 in 2021.

Rashan Gary is enjoying the breakout season Packers fans have waited for

The presence of Micah Parsons is certainly amplifying his defensive power, but Gary has been a staple of the Green Bay defense for years. In three of the last four seasons, he has led the team in sacks and QB hits (an ACL tear caused him to miss the second half of the 2022 season).

This year, the former first-round draft pick is finally garnering some of the national attention he deserves. With a Pro Bowl nod last in 2024 and the Packers’ defense becoming a constant talking point thanks to Micah Parsons’s arrival, Gary is making it clear that he is one of the league’s more dominant pass-rushers.

At the time of writing, Gary leads the league in sacks, forcing opposing defenses to remain wary of the Green Bay frontline. Allowing just four touchdowns so far this season, defensive playmakers like Gary are putting Jordan Love and the offense in the best position they can to win games.

The upcoming Sunday night matchup against the Dallas Cowboys has become even more important following the loss to Cleveland, but Gary should continue to be a shining example of what the Packers’ defense is capable of.