The Green Bay Packers had a clear objective in mind when they named Jeff Hafley as their new defensive coordinator last offseason. Green Bay’s defense had allowed the fifth-most rushing yards in 2023, and the Hafley’s system was well-suited to shut down opposing rushers.
Hafley switched the defense’s base personnel to a 4-3 defensive front to better defend the run, and the Packers found immediate success. Despite playing in a run-heavy NFC North division that featured the Detroit Lions’ league-leading rushing attack, the Packers allowed the seventh-fewest rushing yards and finished as the sixth-best scoring defense.
Heading into the 2025 season, Green Bay is continuing to fortify their new defensive front rather than resting on their laurels. The Packers lost one of their best run-stopping interior defensive linemen in TJ Slaton, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency. Although Green Bay primarily focused on the offensive side of the ball early in the 2025 NFL Draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst scooped up a potential replacement after the final pick.
Packers may have found a run-stuffing defensive tackle to replace TJ Slaton
The Packers signed Georgia defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse as an undrafted free agent following the end of the 2025 draft, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported.
Stackhouse was a three-year starter at Georgia, where he played in 59 games and made 42 starts. Although he primarily played as a nose tackle, he has experience playing in Kirby Smart’s hybrid fronts. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had a fifth- or sixth-round grade on Stackhouse, but the 23-year-old slipped off the bottom of the draft board and fell into Green Bay’s lap.
Stackhouse first emerged as a dominant run-stuffing space-eater on Georgia’s national championship team in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 327-pound defensive tackle is difficult to displace in the run game and can shrink rushing lanes simply with his size. Although he struggled with shedding blocks and getting into the backfield, he can be used to scheme up one-on-one matchups for his teammates or stop running backs for no gain at the line of scrimmage. Stackhouse doesn’t possess the explosiveness to be an every-down player, but he can help make the unheralded plays that often prove to be the difference in game.
Green Bay selected two 4-3 defensive ends and a defensive tackle with three consecutive picks on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, suggesting they’ll continue to build their roster to fit Hafley’s system.
Stackhouse will join Green Bay’s deep defensive front alongside his former Georgia teammate Warren Brinson, who the Packers selected with the No. 198 pick in the sixth round. They’ll both compete for a spot on the 53-man roster as situational role players on a defensive line that features Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden and James Ester. Green Bay also signed veteran defensive tackles Nesta Jade Silvera and Keith Randolph in free agency.