Round 5 Pick 173 TJ Slaton DT FLorida

The thing that Herman points out and I've seen in several other draft write ups is his downside when it comes to picking up double teams.  I don't know if it's a mindset issue because he is so athletic or he just physically can't hold up. 

The thing that made me laugh about this weak spot is he's supposed to be able to take on double teams to allow the LBs to get through the line.  Is that really a consideration on this team?  I'd rather have him shooting gaps than relying on the ILB squad to make a play.

I think Keke takes a step up and plays, with Clark, while this kid develops. I'd love it if Slaton could make an impact, right away. Camp should tell us a lot, this year.

I don't know if Keke will be much more than a rotational guy and he isn't exactly a hogger.  Slaton is essentially competing against Lancaster and Lowry, who can only do one thing, kind of plug the run. 

Scouts See Slaton as Potentially Big Value

If Keke improves his run D and can hold the LOS he will get a lot of snaps. He’s cut from the Cullen Jenkins mold and let’s be honest, CJ was a great pass rusher, but he wasn’t exactly a dominant run defender. He had the advantage of having Pickett and then also Raji next to him eating up blockers, but in general he was feast/famine against the run. He either blew up the play or got himself out of position being too aggressive. I can see Keke having the same impact with the same issues.

Most of the guys on our D had the same issue: too passive and not aggressive or high energy enough. Energy/aggression has historically not been the issue with Joe Barry defenses…they all played hard even though they sucked. With the talent we have on D, if they play 100% fast and aggressive I think we will see several players like Keke make big jumps.

He'll look good lining up next to Tyler Lancaster.

With Lowry in pass coverage.

@michiganjoe posted:

Scouts See Slaton as Potentially Big Value

Interesting that there was a view that DT was weak in the draft, and the Packers used a 5th on him when others had him lower.

Recognizing that the class was weak and using a higher asset on him than others were willing to does call to question the strategy.

Is it better to go early on a lower graded players in a weak class or to go later in a deep class because there’s depth?

In the end it may be more luck, too, but it’s an interesting quandary in draft strategy. Folks get paid a lot of money to weigh these things...

Not sure there was really any strategy from the Packers beyond where they had him on their board. Appears they had him rated higher than many teams did, just like Rashan Gary.

So Bill Huber.....Basically comparing him to BJ Raji!?!?!?

https://www.si.com/nfl/packers...ig-steal-with-slaton

Grave Digger.

It's early. He does look the part though.

The good Lord doesn't make a lot of athletic big guys.

@H5 posted:

It's early. He does look the part though.

The good Lord doesn't make a lot of athletic big guys.

Paul Mokeski begs to differ

The player? Or the poster?

More pre-training camp positivity

https://packerswire.usatoday.c...da51cbb61b721acb21b7

Those tackling dummies with the strap-on arms really freak me out.

That's not natural.

@antooo posted:

Those tackling dummies with the strap-on arms really freak me out.

That's not natural.

You should see the ones the vikings used on The Love Boat!

@mrtundra posted:

You should see the ones the vikings used on The Love Boat!

Me & Goldie were enjoying some 2021 TJ Slaton highlights earlier this week, she's a blast to hang out with. 

Super stoked to see TJ make the leap in year 2. When DL Coach Montgomery was asked about TJ- one of his comments was that TJ already knows what to do - he just has to do it more consistently.

IF Slaton continues to ascend:

1) that offers Kenny the chance to rest on some early downs, without a drop off. He played 782 snaps on defense last year, ideally you'd like him in the 650 range. Tyler Lancaster just wasn't up to the task

2)  it allows the Packers to move Kenny around if they want to get him a favorable match up at 3-tech.

Packers DL should be a strength in 2022 and Big Boy TJ is gonna be a key part of that wrecking crew

Go Packers  

It will be interesting to see who gets more snaps, Slaton or Reed.

Competition breeds success...lack of it breeds complacency.

On paper, this is the best defense the Packers have fielded since Fritz Shurmur era. Even without the two first rounders this year, the defense was looking stout.

D looked good against Seahawks and against the Niners MOST of the game...

They were flat out phenomenal vs. SF.  For most of the game.  Gary had some big moments too that you usually associate with a win.

@DH13 posted:

They were flat out phenomenal vs. SF.  For most of the game.  Gary had some big moments too that you usually associate with a win.

In the end, they really gave up one bad play.

• 3rd & 7 at GB 38

  (1:03 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Samuel right end to GB 29 for 9 yards (D.Campbell, K.King).

@Chongo posted:

Competition breeds success...lack of it breeds complacency.

On paper, this is the best defense the Packers have fielded since Fritz Shurmur era. Even without the two first rounders this year, the defense was looking stout.

On paper, this might be the strongest Packer secondary of the modern era (post-1978).

Fritz Shurmur had one of the best DLs in the NFL history. We'll see how much better this line plus edge rosters will be from last year. Improvement there will take them from a very good defense to a team capable of winning based on their defense even if they had a league average QB.

@MichiganPacker posted:

Fritz Shurmur had one of the best DLs in the NFL history.

That Santana Dotson was the weakest link on the line should say how great it was.

@Chongo posted:

That Santana Dotson was the weakest link on the line should say how great it was.

Santana Dotson The weakest link is indeed hard to swallow.

@MichiganPacker posted:

In the end, they really gave up one bad play.

• 3rd & 7 at GB 38

  (1:03 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Samuel right end to GB 29 for 9 yards (D.Campbell, K.King).

And as I've posted before ....Barry had his "pass" package on the field, with Z Smith playing d-tackle and Alexander playing in the slot on the same side. 49ers ran right at them. I never thought they would let Jimmy G throw there, but perhaps he would have if Packers came out in a run package?

WHen Krys Barnes came to visit a few months ago I griped about the same thing and he just shook his head. No way Shanahan was gonna trust Jimmy G on that play.

Krys Barnes was in your study hall?

@BrainDed posted:

It will be interesting to see who gets more snaps, Slaton or Reed.

As long as they both get more snaps than Lowry. I got nothing against Dean but if he's playing more like 20-25 snaps a game he's going to get as much done as he would with 40-45.

0 snaps for Lancaster will be nice, too.

@PackerHawk posted:

As long as they both get more snaps than Lowry. I got nothing against Dean but if he's playing more like 20-25 snaps a game he's going to get as much done as he would with 40-45.

0 snaps for Lancaster will be nice, too.

fewer snaps are a huge component for all of the DL, but Lowery especially.
Your numbers are spot on - Dean played 674 snaps on defense last year and 450 is where you want him.

The other part is that Dean will play fewer snaps at 3-tech, with Reed and Wyatt taking those off his plate. When Dean is inside, he gets eaten up on double teams - that's just not his game.

So with the infusion of beef on the DL, Lowery gets fewer snaps overall and fewer still at 3-Tech. That should make him more effective

I'm super excited about the 2022 DL in Titletown

Have you seen the picture of a slimmed-down Kenny Clark?

Changes coming to the D.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfKHnzoP7G9/

That’s got to be doctored. Dude in that picture will be telling fat jokes about MVS.

Or he took too much off with that weed wacker.

The Lowry haters in full force and hoping a guy not on the team gets 0 snaps?

With the rotational depth they have on the roster, the DL should be fresh as a summers eve come December.

@Goalline posted:

That’s got to be doctored. Dude in that picture will be telling fat jokes about MVS.

Kenny will miss his pal MVS for sure - now he needs a new butt for his jokes. Speaking of new butts....that Clark picture is for real:  Arrigo said Clark dropped 77 lbs since minicamp so he can play Safety this year

He’d play safety better than Savage😉