Rashan Gary trade: Green Bay Packers send pass rusher to Dallas Cowboys for 2027 fourth-round pick
Rashan Gary trade: This deal gives Dallas Cowboys a veteran disruptor at minimal cost, while Green Bay Packers gain future draft flexibility amid cap management..
The Dallas Cowboys have strengthened their defensive line by acquiring edge rusher Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers in a trade for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick. The deal, reported, comes after the Cowboys failed to secure Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders last week.
Failed pursuit of Maxx Crosby leads to Rashan Gary acquisition
Dallas Cowboys pursued Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby aggressively, offering the 12th overall pick in 2026, a 2027 second-rounder, and a veteran player. Crosby ultimately landed with the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks. Turning to Plan B, the Cowboys landed Gary in a low-cost move that adds proven pass-rush talent without major draft capital.
Contract details and cap implications
Rashan Gary, signed to a four-year, $96 million extension in 2023, is due $18 million in base salary this year unless reworked. The move clears nearly $11 million in salary cap space for the Green Bay Packers in 2026. For the Dallas Cowboys, adding Gary strengthens their edge group as they navigate free agency and the draft.
Rashan Gary's performance and role shift
A 2019 first-round pick, Rashan Gary has 46.5 career sacks, ranking sixth in Green Bay Packers history since 1982. He started strong last season with 7.5 sacks in the first seven games, but finished without another sack despite playing every game except the finale.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst commented earlier this offseason: "I thought he started out really, really strong. He obviously had a lot of production early. I think he ended up with sixty-some pressures, 7.5 sacks. That's pretty good production in the National Football League. I did think towards the end of the year, he wasn't as productive as he was the beginning."
Gary's snap counts have hovered around 50-60% in recent years. Coach Matt LaFleur noted last season: “He's never been a huge snap count guy, if you look at the course of his career.”
Impact on both teams moving forward
For the Green Bay Packers, losing Rashan Gary creates depth concerns at defensive end, especially with Micah Parsons sidelined early due to ACL recovery and Kingsley Enagbare hitting free agency. New coordinator Jonathan Gannon will start the season with two new starting ends.
The Dallas Cowboys, on the other hand, stay active in the pass-rush market. Jadeveon Clowney, last year's sack leader with 8.5, remains a free agent, though fit questions linger under new coordinator Christian Parker. Rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku will miss most offseason work due to hip surgery.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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