Packers star Rashan Gary reveals how his breakout season made him 'hungry' for more in 2022

In his first year starting for the Green Bay Packers, Rashan Gary had a breakout season as a part of their front seven. Gary started at outside linebacker, which plays more like a hybrid defensive end in the Packers defense, and shined in the role. During a recent interview, the former Michigan Wolverine Gary revealed that 2021 was just the beginning and has only made him ‘hungry’ for more in 2022.

“If anything, it made me hungry,” Gary said during the team’s recent minicamp, reflecting on his breakout year. “It made me go back, watch film, see what I put on tape, see areas of my pass rush, my run defense, and things that I could improve on.

“It just made me hungrier (to) pick apart my game and make me a better player for this team.”

Gary started in all 16 games he played last year and was in on 68 percent of Green Bay’s defensive snaps. With the increase in playing time from the 2020 season, the former first-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft was able to show why he was a top selection that year. Gary finished his third NFL season with 47 total tackles, 27 solo, eight tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Gary’s 9.5 sacks on the season beat out defensive lineman Preston Smith (9) for best on the team.

The former Wolverine is out to prove that last season’s performance will be the expectation going forward. And with the additions the Packers added to their defense through the NFL draft this offseason, Gary and Green Bay could very well find themselves with a top-five defense in 2022.

LaFleur assesses the growth of Packers second-year defensive lineman T.J. Slaton

Former Florida Gators defensive lineman Tedarrell ‘T.J.’ Slaton is heading into his sophomore season in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. And so far, during the Packers OTA’s, head coach Matt LaFleur has liked what he’s seen from his second-year player. LaFleur recently assessed the growth from Slaton so far and the challenges he faced in his rookie season.

“Yea, T.J. has done a nice job. I think just his work capacity alone has definitely increased, and I think that that’s a learning curve for a lot of young players,” said LaFleur. “They don’t know what necessarily they’re getting into when they first get into this league. And a lot of these guys, after the combine, they go on basically a world tour. They got teams bringing them in, and they have inconsistent workout routines. So it is a little bit more challenging for some of the guys than others, but T.J.’s done a nice job. I think he’s lightyears ahead of where he was a year ago.”

The Packers picked up Slaton in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In his rookie campaign, he did not register a single start but played in all 17 games for Green Bay. Slaton helped out on both defense and special teams, recording 23 total tackles, 14 solo, two hits on opposing quarterbacks, and one sack.

The Packers young nose tackle is likely to compete for more playing time against veteran Kenny Clark. Slaton will be a part of an influx of young and upcoming talent along with the Packers defensive front along with this year’s first-round pick Devonte Wyatt.