Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary announced Monday that he agreed to a four-year contract extension, bringing a bit of good news to a team that has lost four straight games.
Gary announced the four-year, $107 million extension that included a $34.6 million signing bonus on social media. The Packers announced the extension later Monday without revealing terms.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Gary can earn $107 million through the end of a deal that now runs through 2027 because he's receiving about $96 million in new money to go along with his 2023 salary of $10.8 million. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the terms.
“Thanks to everyone in the Green Bay Packers organization, my family, business team, NFL, friends, fans & supporters for taking the ride with me,” Gary said in his post. “The grind doesn’t stop. Sacrifices lead to achievable goals.”
This deal gives the slumping Packers (2-5) a long-term commitment from one of their top overall players. Gary was eligible to become a free agent after the season if he hadn’t agreed to an extension.
Gary, who turns 26 on Dec. 3, has a team-high 4½ sacks even though he was playing limited snaps early in the season as he worked his way back from a torn ACL. He only started playing more than half of the Packers’ defensive plays in their past two games, a 19-17 loss at Denver and a 24-10 home defeat against the Minnesota Vikings.
He had 9½ sacks in 2021 and had six more last season despite playing just nine games before his season-ending ACL injury.
“Rashan has been an impact player and person for us since he joined the Packers,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said in a statement. “His work ethic is unmatched and he has developed into a team leader and cornerstone of our team. We are very pleased that he will remain in Green Bay for years to come.”
Gary has spent his entire career with the Packers, who selected him out of Michigan with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Rashan Gary Sports announces 4-year $107M contract extension for Packers LB Rashan Gary pic.twitter.com/1MjRa2VXFK
— Rashan Gary ® (@RashanAGary) October 30, 2023
The Packers later confirmed the news with a statement:
The Green Bay Packers have signed LB Rashan Gary to a contract extension. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Monday.
“Rashan has been an impact player and person for us since he joined the Packers,” said Gutekunst. “His work ethic is unmatched and he has developed into a team leader and cornerstone of our team. We are very pleased that he will remain in Green Bay for years to come.”
Gary has played in 63 regular-season games with 32 starts and five postseason contests with one start since being selected by the Packers in the first round (No. 12 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has posted 159 tackles (90 solo), 66 QB hits, 27.0 sacks, 28 tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three passes defensed during the regular season. In the playoffs, Gary has registered 11 tackles (seven solo), 3.5 sacks, four tackles for a loss and six QB hits.
This season, Gary leads the Packers in sacks (4.5), in Next Gen Stats pressures (28), is tied for the team lead in tackles for a loss (five) and is tied for No. 2 on the team in QB hits (eight). Since 2020, he ranks in the top 10 among NFL linebackers in QB hits per game (1.26, No. 7), sacks per game (0.53, No. 7) and Next Gen Stats pressures per game (2.96, No. 10), according to TruMedia.
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