The Green Bay Packers’ defense ranked 18th in rushing EPA allowed last season and finished 15th in total rushing yards allowed. It’s difficult to win consistently in December and January when you cannot stop the run. That’s part of why a reunion with Tedarrell Slaton could make plenty of sense for Green Bay.
Ever since the Packers parted ways with Kenny Clark, the defense has been missing a true anchor in the middle of the defensive line. That need becomes even greater now that Jonathan Gannon is leaning more toward a typical 3-4 structure, where a physical nose tackle is critical. Green Bay is aware of the issue. Brian Gutekunst spoke before the draft about the importance of adding more size and strength to the front seven.
“I do think there’s probably a little bit more of an appetite for a pure nose because some of the snaps we’re going to play are going to have that,” Gutekunst noted, “maybe we wouldn’t have had that with Jeff [Hafley].”
Slaton was one of the NFL’s best run defenders in 2024, leading all interior defensive linemen in run-stop win rate, according to ESPN. He became an important part of Jeff Hafley’s defense and helped the Packers finish inside the top 10 in EPA allowed per rush, which was a noticeable improvement from Green Bay’s recent defenses against the run.
The 2021 fifth-round pick joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025 to be their starting nose tackle through at least 2026. However, they traded for Dexter Lawrence, which completely changed the outlook of that defensive line rotation.
As Wendell Ferreira of A to Z Sports recently pointed out, Slaton still brings value as part of a rotation. However, Cincinnati now has far more depth inside, and his cap hit rising from $2.5 million to $5.72 million makes his situation worth monitoring closely.
“A $9.16 million cap figure for a player demoted from starter status is quite the number, and with the Bengals now low on cap space with an influx of contracts about to be added, his deal makes the most sense to offload,” Ferreira wrote. “Cincinnati can stomach it with recent draft picks Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson still in the fold, and recuperating a fifth-round pick after giving it up for Joe Flacco would be a win.”
Green Bay’s best interior defensive linemen are built much more to attack quarterbacks than to consistently control the line of scrimmage against the run. Devonte Wyatt, Javon Hargrave, and Karl Brooks all bring value as penetrating pass rushers who can create pressure from the inside. However, none of them are natural space-eating nose tackles built to take on double teams, snap after snap, in a heavier front.
Chris McClellan could eventually develop into that type of player. Still, the Packers will likely open the season lacking a true interior anchor capable of consistently setting the tone against the run in the middle of the defense.
The Bengals have some interesting pieces on their defensive line beyond Dexter Lawrence. Jonathan Allen, B.J. Hill, and Kris Jenkins all figure to compete for meaningful snaps on the interior, which could make the rotation crowded heading into training camp.
If that group performs well throughout the summer, it would not be surprising if Cincinnati became more open to discussions involving T.J. Slaton, especially considering his rising salary and the team’s depth at the position. If that scenario develops, the Packers should strongly consider making a call, particularly because Slaton would fill a role their current defensive line still lacks.
