The Green Bay Packers will be taking on the Detroit Lions in their final game of the 2019 regular season. As they prepare themselves for the playoffs, the Packers should focus on getting Rashan Gary more involved against the Lions.
The Packers chose to select Gary with the 12th overall pick in this year's draft out of Michigan. Upon his selection, Green Bay knew they were going to have to help him adjust his game to the speed of the NFL.
Along with drafting Gary, the Packers signed Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith in free agency. Therefore, the rookie pass rusher hasn't gotten as many opportunities as he likely expected to.
The two Smiths on the Packers have combined for 25.5 sacks and 58 hits on the quarterback. On the other hand, Gary has only managed to record two sacks, three tackles for loss, and 21 total tackles.
Heading into the final week of the season, the Packers know exactly what they are getting with the Smiths. But come playoff time, Green Bay could use someone like Gary to add another dimension to their pass-rushing unit.
Provided that, Gary should be given a few more snaps with the defense on Sunday versus the Lions. It should be made a priority especially if the Packers take a double-digit lead early in the contest.
In the playoffs, Green Bay could face the New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, or the Minnesota Vikings. Regardless of who they play, an effective pass rush could help the Packers make a deep playoff run.
If the Packers do clinch home-field advantage, the weather is going to be less than ideal. With that in mind, it's best to keep a rotation of pass rushers to keep them fresh in the frigid weather conditions.
Along with the playoffs, Green Bay can get a better look at what they have in Gary on Sunday. When the Packers selected Gary out of Michigan, many people questioned the front office's selection.
Up to this point, it's hard to argue that the rookie pass rusher hasn't been a disappointment in his first year in the NFL. Furthermore, it's easy to assume that Green Bay expected to get more out of their first-round pick in 2019.
But before an assumption is made, the Packers have a chance to give him an uptick in snaps versus the Lions. Could he prove himself to be a key contributor on the defense if he was given more snaps?
With the Packers expecting to win by a large-margin in Week 17, it could be useful to give Gary a larger workload.
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