Rashan Gary is entering a fresh chapter this offseason, and it’s not just about the new team he’ll be playing for. Defensive end Gary has joined the Dallas Cowboys after a trade from the Green Bay Packers, and it seems Gary’s first step to don a new jersey has certainly added a new twist to the already captivating story of the Cowboys.

Rashan Gary first shared about his new jersey number through an Instagram story. He posted a photo of his locker room with a new nameplate, “Number 7,” on his Instagram.

“New # dropped 👀👀…It’s been an honor rocking 52🫡,” Gary captioned his story.

NFL players and their uniform numbers are inextricably connected. The numbers are how fans quickly recognize players on the field. So, for Gary, this is a major change as he had been wearing No. 52 with his previous team.

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“New Cowboys edge rusher Rashan Gary will wear No. 7 this season,” The Athletic reporter Jon Machota posted on X. “He had been wearing No. 52 in Green Bay. Some previous No. 7s in Dallas: Steve Beuerlein, Randall Cunningham, Drew Henson, Cooper Rush, Ben DiNucci, Trevon Diggs.”

Rashan Gary started his career in 2011 at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in New Jersey, then transferred to Paramus Catholic, where he finished his two remaining seasons and made the No. 3 jersey a part of himself. Such a figure led him to the Michigan Wolverines, where he served three years of his career, transforming into one of the best defensive prospects and maintaining the same appearance on the field. Again, his path to the NFL took shape in 2019.

When the Green Bay Packers selected him 12th overall, he switched to jersey No. 52 at the professional level. Now another change has come after his move to the Cowboys, as No. 52 is already taken by Dallas guard Tyler Booker, leading Gary to adopt No. 7 for his new chapter.

This new number carries its own history in Dallas, previously worn by names like Randall Cunningham, Chad Hutchinson, Cooper Rush, and, most recently, Trevon Diggs, adding another layer of legacy to Gary’s transition.

Earlier in the month, Gary was traded to the Cowboys from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. After the trade, he signed a restructured two-year, $32 million deal with Dallas.

Gary played with the Packers for seven seasons. During his time in Green Bay, he recorded 271 tackles and 46.5 sacks and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2024. Last season, in his seventh year with Green Bay, Gary once again had a strong performance. However, his production hardly matched his massive $96 million contract, which led to the trade.

He finished with 45 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery, while playing alongside All-Pro Micah Parsons. Now with the Cowboys, Gary has made it clear what he wants to bring to the team.

Rashan Gary wants to be the key piece the Dallas Cowboys need

“I don’t look at it as trading places or things like that, I’m just coming here to be me and be the impact that the Cowboys need,” Rashan Gary said in a conference call.

Rashan Gary can be in a similar position as Micah Parsons, yet his game speaks otherwise and reminds DeMarcus Lawrence more than the Cowboys’ star playmaker. Gary boasts of his goal line work, which is running, as he focuses on his power to stay ahead, manage the gap, and play the constant anchor on the front line. To him, impact extends further than figures, particularly in high-stakes games where breaking an offensive play is more important than filling the stat sheet.

Gary is someone who resembles the intelligent recruit, particularly considering that there is some prior familiarity at work. He will be reporting to his new defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, who was a defensive quality control coach in Green Bay when Gary joined his rookie season in 2019. The player will be an outside linebacker in Dallas, where he will move in various defensive formations.

He will also join forces with defensive tackle Kenny Clark, and he thinks that their relationship can introduce a kind of contagiousness to the defense of the Cowboys. He appreciates that connection, and he owes a part of his development, on and off the field, to Clark in the time they spent together. In his opinion, chemistry can be used to revitalize the whole defensive team in Dallas.

In Dallas Cowboys now, Gary is singular in his focus: to win football games, to play games that count, and to pursue the same postseason experiences that he enjoyed at an earlier stage in his career, an experience that he has been seeking to replicate.