Packers Free Agent Loss Highlighted As Top NFL Luxury Option

The Green Bay Packers had 18 total players set to hit free agency — both unrestricted and restricted — entering the 2025 league year. Among the most notable unrestricted names were center Josh Myers, cornerback Eric Stokes, and defensive tackle T.J. Slaton. Ironically, all three ended up signing somewhere else. 

T.J. Slaton is easily Green Bay’s most significant loss. He led all interior defensive linemen in run-stop win rate last season, per ESPN. He played a central role in Jeff Hafley’s defense, which finished top ten in EPA per rush — a significant upgrade from the Packers’ previous run-stopping units.

Slaton’s value drew recognition well beyond Green Bay. In a recent piece, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranked some of the league’s best “luxury” contributors — specialized roles like gunners and blitzing off-ball linebackers — and named the former Packers fifth-rounder as the NFL’s top two-down defensive tackle.

"In 2024, Slaton's 45.5% run stop win rate on the interior led all defenders, just ahead of highly compensated tackles D.J. Jones, Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner," Barnwell wrote. 

"The highlight of his season might have been a fourth-and-goal snap in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins, where Slaton drove the guard backward, drew a holding penalty and pressured Tua Tagovailoa into the arms of Quay Walker for a drive-ending sack," he added. "It wasn't pretty, but it sure was effective." 

Slaton played a total of 1,735 defensive snaps for the Packers since being drafted in 2021. He played 457 snaps in 2024 after a career-high 679 snaps in 2023. This offseason, Slaton signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he should help improve a defensive line that ranked 25th in run-stop win rate last season.

The only addition Green Bay made to the interior defensive line this offseason was sixth-round pick Warren Brinson. While he was not the most refined pass rusher at Georgia, he graded out as an above-average run defender — giving him a shot to step into Slaton’s former role. Still, there is no question the Packers will miss Slaton’s presence, and it will not be easy to replicate the level of dominance he brought against the run last season.