The Most Important Packers: No. 21 — T.J. Slaton

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle T.J. Slaton (93) has improved during each of his first three … [+] seasons with the team.

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Green Bay traded away future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers in April, 2023, then fielded the NFL’s youngest roster a year ago.

Most believed the Packers — who missed the postseason in 2022 — would take another step back in 2023. Instead, Green Bay reached the playoffs, upset Dallas in the Wild Card round and had eventual NFC champion San Francisco on the ropes before fading in the divisional playoffs.

Now, with the overwhelming majority of that ascending roster back, a gifted quarterback in Jordan Love, and some key offseason additions, the Packers will return as one of the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.

“I’ve been so close so many years and I’ve been a part of some really good teams. Some great teams,” said Kenny Clark, a defensive tackle who has played in three NFC Championship games, but has been on the losing end each time. “But this group is really coming together, really connecting.

“They’ve got a lot of love for each other. It’s built the right way. It’s hard to win in this league, but I think if we take the same approach we took last year, we’ll make some noise and hopefully we can get to that game (the Super Bowl).”

Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 22. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2024 campaign.

At No. 21 is defensive tackle T.J. Slaton.

No. 21

T.J. Slaton, DL

Last season

The mammoth Slaton (6-4, 330), a fifth round draft pick in 2021, had his best season as a pro last year.

Slaton started all 17 games and recorded a career-high 49 tackles (22 solo), two tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits and two passes defensed. Slaton also played a career-high 626 snaps (56.4%).

Career to date

Slaton is the Packers’ only defensive player to appear in all 51 games over the last three seasons.

Slaton played 23.6% of the snaps as a rookie and 32.2% his second year.

His tackle total jumped from 23 as a rookie to 31 in 2022 and 49 in 2023. Slaton’s grade from Pro Football Focus has also improved each season.

Slaton’s overall growth gave the Packers confidence he could handle the nose tackle job last year, which allowed them to move Kenny Clark to defensive end in their 3-4 scheme.

“Going into camp after my rookie year it was just like, I got to pick it up a little bit,” Slaton said. “So I just prided myself on just moving faster, getting my lateral movement better, getting my weight down a little bit so I can be a little bit quicker.”

Outlook

The Packers are making a defensive scheme change to a 4-3 front, which has left Slaton’s role a bit in limbo.

When the Packers are in their 4-3 under look, Slaton would play the 1-technique (on the center’s outside shoulder) and try controlling the ‘A’ gap between the guard and the center. He also has the versatility to play the 0-technique (face up with the center) and the 2-technique (on the guard’s inside shoulder) in this scheme.

Slaton is an ascending player who had an impressive spring and will play a major role in Green Bay’s new scheme. The Packers have terrific depth at defensive tackle, though, meaning Slaton will have to battle a gifted group for snaps.

“We feel really good about the collective unit, and I think each one of those guys is going to get more one-on-one opportunities along the way because it’s hard to zero in on one guy,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of his defensive linemen.

Comments

“I think he can play nose. You put him in a ‘0’ in a 3-4, you put him in a shade or you put him inside leverage on a guard and he’s still right around that A gap. There’s things we can do with him, we can tighten him up and get him in a 3-4 spacing. You get a big guy like that, against the run, I mean, that nose has to be, he has to be a guy that makes it really hard to run the football. He’s got the size and he’s got the body to do that. now we’ve got to coach him up and make sure we get the most out of him. But he’s done a nice job so far.” — Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on Slaton

“I will tell you this, TJ Slaton might be the biggest man-athlete that I’ve ever seen in my life. If you put a basket right here, my man can two step jump and dunk that basketball. So the athletic part, the athleticism, the 3-4, the nose, is he athletic enough? There’s no question TJ Slaton is athletic enough to play in this scheme and system.” — Packers defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich on Slaton