Concern over Rashan Gary — the top pass-rusher for the Green Bay Packers — is rightfully rising. Through four games in 2024, Gary has a pass-rush win percentage of just 3.0, according to charting from Pro Football Focus. For comparison’s sake, Gary’s win percentage was 17.1 in 2022 and 16.0 in 2023.
His 3.0 percent win rate ranks among the worst marks among edge rushers through four weeks. But forget the number. Gary simply isn’t affecting the quarterback enough to start the 2024 season.
Rising concern is probably required for the entire Packers pass-rush. No player has a pass-rush win percentage above 10.0, and the team’s two top rushers — Gary and Kenny Clark — have combined for nothing more than one sack (on a busted play) and 15 pressures. Devonte Wyatt and Preston Smith have flashed but been inconsistent overall. The same goes for backups Kingsley Enagbare, Lukas Van Ness and Karl Brooks. Gary isn’t leading the charge, and his teammates aren’t winning consistently elsewhere up front.
It’s worth considering that games against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles and Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts likely impact the numbers. The Packers rushed those athletic quarterbacks differently. But Gary had only three hurries over 31 pass-rushing snaps in a plus matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 and then was shutout on Sunday over 22 pass-rushing snaps against the Minnesota Vikings.
Gary was also fooled on an end-around to Jordan Addison on one of the Vikings’ first-half touchdowns.
Pass-rushing productivity (PRP) is another way PFF tracks pass-rushing performance. Through four games, Gary’s PRP is 3.5, which ranks 42nd among the 47 pass-rushers with at least 75 pass-rushing snaps this season (note: not all Week 4 grades are in as of Monday morning). Last season, Gary’s PRP was 9.0, which ranked 10th overall. In 2022, it was 11.5 — the third-best mark. Again, the numbers highlight a lack of productivity and efficiency as a pass-rusher for one of the Packers’ most important players.
On Sunday, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was kept clean on 22 of his 33 dropbacks. When clean in the pocket, Darnold completed 73 percent of his passes, averaged 9.1 yards per attempt and threw three touchdown passes. Far too often, he played from clean pockets, especially in scoring areas and in obvious passing situations.
Gary and the Packers pass-rush needed to control the game Sunday. Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine were both out injured, and the best way to protect cornerbacks is with a strong pass-rush. The Packers didn’t get it, and Darnold sliced and diced as a passer, especially in the first half as the Vikings built a commanding 28-0 lead.
Two of the most impactful plays made by the Packers defense came on blitzes. Quay Walker ended one drive with a second-down sack on an A-gap blitz, and Keisean Nixon delivered a game-turning strip-sack on a slot blitz. When the Packers needed the four-man rush to disrupt the pocket, they were mostly unable. This reality forced Jeff Hafley to get more aggressive sending extra pressure in the second half.
At some point, Gary and the Packers will need to prove capable of disrupting the quarterback when facing good offensive lines. Sunday was a failed opportunity. For the Packers to be Super Bowl caliber, Gary must forget this slow start and rediscover his game-wrecking ways as a pass-rusher.
