The Dallas Cowboys have spent the past few months working on finding ways to rebuild their defense. After inexplicably trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers right before the start of the 2025 campaign, the Cowboys’ defense was never able to recover, and it eventually led to the team missing the playoffs entirely.
Earlier this offseason, Dallas opted to return to Green Bay and pull off another trade that netted them veteran defensive lineman Rashan Gary. While he isn’t the same caliber of player as Parsons, Gary’s arrival will go a long way towards helping Dallas replace the perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and now that he is officially a member of the Cowboys, it sounds like he has big plans for his first year with the team.
Rashan Gary Doesn’t Hold Back When Discussing 2026 Campaign with Cowboys
Gary spent the first seven years of his career with the Packers after getting selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. After struggling to initially carve out a role for himself, Gary became a full-time starter in 2021, and he never looked back. He turned in a Pro Bowl campaign in 2024, but the arrival of Parsons lessened the load for Gary on defense in 2025.
Still, when all was said and done, Gary put up some strong numbers last season (45 tackles, 7.5 sacks), although his underlying metrics weren’t nearly as good as they were the year before. The Cowboys need all the pass rush help they can get, and the addition of Gary gives them a guy who has Pro Bowl upside along the defensive line.
Trades can be difficult for players to deal with, especially when you are a guy like Gary who has only played for one team during your time in the pros. It seems like he is taking this move in stride, as Gary issued some bold comments about his legacy when discussing his move to Dallas ahead of the upcoming season.
“I’m trying to be great,” Gary said, per Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News. “That’s my thing. I’m not just here to say I played in the NFL. I want to be a dominant factor. When I hang up my cleats, I want people to say, ‘Man, Rashan Gary was blah, blah, blah,’ whatever the case may be. It’s my legacy. It’s what I’m going to leave my kids. It’s bigger than me now.”
Cowboys Have High Hopes for Rashan Gary in 2026
GettyGreen Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary.
At his best, Gary is one of the most versatile defenders in the league. He has the ability to be a three-down player, and he can line up at a variety of different spots. One play, Gary will be on the defensive line setting the edge against the run, only to move to more of an outside linebacker role for the next play in hopes of getting to the quarterback.
Again, no single player can replace Parsons, but if Gary can produce at the sort of level he was at in 2024, that would go a long way towards helping the Cowboys defense get back on track. It’s clear he’s taking this move to Dallas very seriously, and if all goes according to plan, another Pro Bowl campaign could be on the horizon for one of the team’s newest stars.
Rashan Gary Sends Bold Message Ahead of First Season with Cowboys