Grading Packers on Salary Cap Curve: Outside Linebackers
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Rashan Gary entered the season as one of the Green Bay Packers’ most irreplaceable players. Sure enough, when Gary suffered a torn ACL at Detroit in Week 9, the Packers never got close to replacing their indomitable outside linebacker and premier pass rusher.
Preston Smith had a solid season, rookie Kingsley Enagbare flashed some real potential and Justin Hollins provided some juice after being claimed off waivers. But there’s no replacing Gary, who not only had a team-high 9.5 sacks in 2021 but ranked second among NFL edge defenders in pressures (81) and pass-rush win rate (26.0 percent), according to Pro Football Focus.
Here is Part 7 of our annual series of player grades as viewed through the lens of the salary cap. All cap figures are from OverTheCap.com. Analytical stats are from Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions.
Preston Smith ($11.46 million; 15th among edge defenders)
Rashan Gary ($5.05 million; 36th among edge defenders)
Jonathan Garvin ($914,821; 134th among edge defenders)
Kingsley Enagbare ($765,639; 149th among edge defenders)
Justin Hollins ($375,278; 176th among edge defenders)
Grading the Packers
Aaron Rodgers and the quarterbacks
Aaron Jones and the running backs
Christian Watson and the receivers
Robert Tonyan and the tight ends
David Bakhtiari, Zach Tom and the offensive line
Kenny Clark and the defensive line
100 Days of Mocks
Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here’s the 100-day-countdown series.
100 days: First-round quarterback?
99 days: Trading for outside linebacker
97 days: This pick would break a long drought
96 days: NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah goes back to Georgia
95 days: Two firsts if Rodgers is traded
94 days: College Football News mocks Mayer
93 days: Safety first for Bucky Brooks in NFL.com mock
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