Given the number of changes the Dallas Cowboys have made to the defensive roster since early March, it’s easy to forget that their first move might well still be the biggest. That was trading a fourth-round pick away to the Packers for edge rusher Rashan Gary, who had gotten a bit too expensive for Green Bay and was set to become a salary cap casualty. The Cowboys wanted him, and paid the draft price for him.
Even at the time, when fans were scheming for ways to trade for Maxx Crosby or sign Trey Hendrickson, it was a move that did not fire up the base. But it was a solid move to improve the edge spot with a veteran, and more important, a veteran familiar with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who was in Green Bay for the first two years of Gary’s career.
Gary is a seven-year pro who was a Pro Bowler in 2024, and has amassed 46.5 sacks in his NFL career.
Cowboys Made Flurry of Moves After Rashan Gary Deal
But after trading for Gary, the Cowboys then moved on to signing safety Jalen Thompson from the Cardinals, and giving him the richest free-agent contract the team has given out in 14 years, at three years and $33 million. Dallas signed a handful of other defensive backs, were in discussions for trades for star linebackers before finally bringing in Dee Williams from the 49ers, and of course, drafted the guy they hope will be a foundation of their defense for a long time, Caleb Downs.
Amid it all, it has been easy to overlook the fact that Gary was the star player who came in and started the transformation of this defense.
Rashan Gary Easy to Overlook
On 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, host Kevin Hageland, in a segment captioned, “why … the Rashan Gary addition is being overlooked,” turned the conversation back to Gary, who might well be as important as any of the other additions the Cowboys have made in the past two months.
“Is it weird that Rashan Gary never, ever, ever comes up?” he said. “He had 7.5 sacks last year, 7.5 the year before. Nine the year before that. I am not saying he’s ready to take over the world, but if you look at even his low, after his rookie season, of six, if you’re going to add a player who can get you six-to-nine legit sacks on this team, that feels like a good deal for the team. But I feel like he does not come into the conversation whatsoever.”
Cowboys Will ‘Piecemeal’ Their Pass Rush
Gary is not the star sack-master that Crosby or Hendrickson can be, but the Cowboys’ pass rush figures to be a more collaborative effort this season. Gary won’t rack up 20 sacks anytime soon, how Parker chooses to deploy him will be a big factor in determining how effective the pass rush can be.
“(Gary is) not saving the defense, but it feels like it has gone too far, of like, he doesn’t matter whatsoever,” Hageland said. “I don’t think that’s the case at all. If you are looking to piecemeal your pass rush together, he seems like an important cog to me. If it is not Donovan Ezeiruaku on this one, then maybe we can hit you with Rashan Gary on the other side.”
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