The Green Bay Packers are set to take on the Chicago Bears for the third time this season, and nobody wants this to be the end of the line. But if it is the end of the line for the Packers, it could also end up being the end of the line for a number of key players with the team.
That includes players the team have invested heavily in.
The Packers signed 2019 first-round pick and pass-rusher Rashan Gary to a four-year contract worth $96 million in the middle of the 2023 season. Since signing that contract, he's been a massive letdown for the team, and they may have to make the difficult decision to move on if they lose against Chicago.
Packers could move on from Rashan Gary if they lose in the playoffs to the Bears
There are no statistics, perhaps across the entire NFL, that are more staggering than this: Rashan Gary has 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, and 0 tackles for loss since Week 8.
That may seem unbelievable, but it's true. The last time Gary recorded a sack was back in October against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he had a pair of sacks. Sacks are not the only way to measure edge-rush productivity, which is why we mention that he also has not had any tackles for loss.
READ MORE: Clay Matthews says what every Packers fan knows will happen vs. Bears
That might be acceptable for a rookie finding his way, but for a player whose contract is worth $24 million per season?
It's beyond infuriating.
The lack of production from Gary has been alarming to the point that he may just need a change of scenery after this season. It seems like it'll be a foregone conclusion for the Packers to trade him or cut him one way or another, and the game against the Bears this weekend may not end up having anything to do with it at all.
What's wild is that Gary has already matched his sack total from 2024, a year in which he made the Pro Bowl. Although he's been an effective rusher throughout his career, the dropoff has been impossible to ignore at this point, and after turning 28 in early December, this might be the perfect time for the Packers to dangle him in a trade.
There are always going to be teams desperate for pass rush help, and the Packers might be willing to oblige for a reasonable price in order to get Gary's contract off the books. He's got a base salary of $18 million next season with a cap hit over $28 million. The Packers simply cannot afford to keep him at that cap hit when he's going half of a season without a quarterback sack.
While a huge playoff run could change his future with the team, it seems like the Packers are going to be poised to say goodbye to Gary this offseason, which could mean the clock strikes midnight against the Bears if the Packers can't get it done.