Packers coach Matt LaFleur praises Rashan Gary’s versatility at OTAs

By Bryan Perez | May 29, 2019

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 21: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after stopping the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 21, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Green Bay Packers rookie defensive lineman Rashan Gary is flashing his versatility early at the team’s OTA sessions.

One of the more confusing first-round picks of the 2019 NFL Draft was the Packers’ selection of Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary with the 12th overall pick. And it’s not because Gary isn’t a talented football player; instead, his fit in Green Bay’s defense isn’t obvious and leads to questions about how much of an impact he’ll make this season.

But maybe we’re all missing the point. Maybe the Packers selected Gary because he isn’t a player who needs to have a specific fit to make a high-level impact. His unique blend of size, strength and athletic ability makes him a potentially dominant force no matter where he lines up, which is something Green Bay is flirting with at their offseason team activities.

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According to coach Matt LaFleur, Gary’s ability to play outside and inside will allow the defense to be creative with their game plan.

“I love it. That’s why he’s here, because he’s a versatile player,” LaFleur said via Packers Wire. “He can be on the edge, we can kick him inside. He’s an incredible athlete. We just got to keep getting him familiarized with exactly what we’re asking him to do, and just digging at those details so he can go execute at a high level.”

To be fair, these expectations sound awfully familiar to what Michigan was hoping for when Gary, who was the top high school recruit in the country, committed to the Wolverines.

He failed to live up to the hype, however, and was more of an inconsistent and injury-plagued college player. He finished the 2018 season appearing in just nine games with 38 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

If the Packers are hoping Gary lights a spark for their pass rush, they may be setting themselves up for disappointment. He totaled just 9.5 sacks in 34 games at Michigan.

Regardless of what Gary produced — or failed to produce — as a Wolverine, he figures to be a big part of Green Bay’s front-seven rotation. Even if he doesn’t emerge as a Week 1 starter, he’ll rotate into the game on passing downs and provide the defense with fresh legs as a pass rusher. If he enjoys some early-season success, he’ll become a fixture in the starting lineup.