Packers Activate Gary From PUP

Star Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary will make his training camp debut on Monday, almost exactly nine months after sustaining a torn ACL.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Aug 7, 2023 1:16 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Star Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary’s comeback from a torn ACL has hit a huge milepost. Gary has been activated from the physically unable to perform list and will participate in Monday’s training camp practice, coach Matt LaFleur said.

“He’ll be off today, off the PUP list, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said. “It’s going to be mostly individual [drills], maybe some of the walkthrough/jog-through, but he’s not going to be in any team.”

The injury happened on Nov. 6 at Detroit – almost exactly nine months ago.

“Rashaan has worked his ass off,” his mom said recently. “Mentally, he’s ready to go. He’s ready to do everything he’s ready to do. And I believe that they also see that, but let’s not rush it. There are some milestones within a hand’s reach, but he still hasn’t met them. So, they’re going to re-evaluate him in two weeks. And they’re working on those milestones so Rashan can meet those goals.”

A first-round pick in 2019, Gary’s evolution from talented project to NFL star was on the proper track before the injury. He went from two sacks as a rookie in 2019 to five in 2020 to 9.5 in 2021 before recording six in the first eight games in 2022.

Beyond those stats are the deeper-dive numbers from Pro Football Focus: Of 100 edge defenders with at least 200 pass-rushing snaps last year, Gary ranked second in pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing opportunity, and eighth in pass-rush win rate. He had almost as many pressures in nine games (38) as Preston Smith had in 17 (42).

Gary came out like a house-a-fire with five sacks in the first four games last year.

The team will take a cautious approach because, A, Gary is a field-tilting performer and, B, he is due a contract extension that could pay him upward of $20 million per season.

“He’s such an important factor for our football team, so we’re going to be very cautious in that as far as making sure he’s good to go,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “He’s got a long career ahead of him and we want to make sure that we do everything we can to get him to where he can go let it loose.

“He’s done an amazing job and, as you guys know, it’s going to be hard to hold him back. He’s ready to go. He wants to keep pushing and he will. But at the same time, we’ll start him off in these next two, three weeks and kind of see where he’s at. I wouldn’t put anything past him because he’s a different kind of guy.”

Cornerback Eric Stokes (foot) will remain on PUP.

Also, rookie receiver Grant DuBose will make his Packers debut after opening training camp on the non-football-injury list. A seventh-round pick this year, he has not practiced at all – rookie camp, OTAs or camp – due to a back injury. He’s bee going hard during his rehab workouts, though, so should be ready to hit the ground running.