The first move of the we’re-moving-differently offseason for the Dallas Cowboys was to trade for defensive end Rashan Gary. To acquire Gary, the Cowboys sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Green Bay Packers, who were rumored to be releasing the veteran defender.
There are a few ways to look at this deal for the Cowboys. On the surface, Gary is a good player who is 28-years old and has had plenty of success rushing the passer. After his rookie season, Gary’s had at least five sacks in each of the last six seasons, and 15 in the last two combined. That’s good news for a team that desperately needs pass rushing help.
The trade reunites Gary with Christian Parker, who was on the Packers’ defensive staff in 2019-2020, as well as Brandon Jordan, the pass rushing specialist recently brought in by the Cowboys, who has worked with the veteran edge rusher for several years.
Gary might not be the elite pass rusher that Maxx Crosby or Trey Hendrickson are, but he can get to the quarterback. He’s got 46.5 career sacks and has an impressive pressure rate.
He’s also a solid run defender, big enough to set the edge as an outside linebacker, which the Cowboys covet with their scheme changes under Parker. After years of issues stopping the run, Gary can help fix that glaring problem.
However, if this is the only veteran edge defender the Cowboys acquire, it won’t reflect as a great deal. Topping out at 7.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons helps a defense that struggles to get pressure, but Gary’s not the difference maker Dallas needs.
Gary might also be slowing down, failing to record a sack in the last 10 games of the 2025 season, the longest drought in his career. If the Cowboys plan to use him as a designated pass rusher, it could help boost his production, but trading a fourth-round pick for a part-time player isn’t the best use of resources.
There’s also the issue of Gary’s contract, which calls for him to be paid a base salary of $39 million, with a cap hit of $42 million over the next two seasons. There’s no more guaranteed money left on his deal, but Gary costs a pretty penny, in a deal that will hopefully will be reworked with the Cowboys.
It’s a good starting move for the Cowboys, but it’s no different than how they normally operate. Last offseason, the Cowboys traded for two other underperforming first-round picks, and neither paid off.
This is a common way for the organization to build their roster in the offseason. Gary’s been more successful than Kenneth Murray and Kaiir Elam, who were the first-round picks the Cowboys acquired last year, and he’s been more productive than Solomon Thomas and Payton Turner, also two former first-round picks the team added in the 2025 offseason.
The hope is that Gary can be the reclamation project that exceeds expectations in Dallas, which would be a nice change.
If trading for Gary is one of several legitimate moves the Cowboys make this offseason, it’s a great start. If this is one of their biggest acquisitions, the Cowboys will have fallen flat in the offseason once again.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Rashan Gary trade a good start, but Cowboys need more this free agency
Reporting by Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
