Packers training camp 90-man roster preview: Defensive line
The Green Bay Packers’ defensive line is a collection of one star, one ascending young player, one massive rookie and a bunch of veterans that must play better in 2021.
The Packers did little to vastly improve the talent level along the defense’s front, but the team is banking on better health and improvements from the players coming back to drive a better product.
Here’s a preview of the players on the Packers defensive line, kicking off the defensive portion of the 90-man roster preview:
(AP Photo/Sam Craft)
There might not be a better all-around or more disruptive nose tackle in the game than Clark, a first-time Pro Bowler in 2019 who saw his impact drop in 2020 in large part due to injuries suffered early in the year. He is equal parts strength and quickness at 6-3 and 314 pounds, giving him the size and power to control gaps and the disruptive abilities to push the pocket and beat blockers one-on-one in the passing game. When healthy, he can be a one-man wrecking crew in the middle of the defense. Expect new defensive coordinator Joe Barry – who most recently worked with a guy named Aaron Donald – to move Clark around and provide more attacking opportunities. A 10-sack season isn't out of his reach, especially with so many talented rushers around him. To be a top defense, the Packers need Clark at his very best for a full season.
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Now entering his sixth season in Green Bay, Lowry remains a polarizing player, mostly due to the frustrating inconsistency of his impact. At 6-6 and 296 pounds, he has an ideal body type for accomplishing the thankless work involved with playing defensive end in the three-man front, but he too often disappears from long stretches of games. He is too easily moved in the run game and not productive enough as a rusher, despite signs early in his career that he could be a three-down player. The Packers had a chance to move on and save cash in 2021 but decided to restructure his deal and bring him back, signaling the team's faith in him for at least one more season. He could be part of the puzzle for pushing the Packers defense to the next level if he can get back to pre-2019 levels of performance, or he could be an anchor holding everything back if he's plateaued as a replacement-level player.
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The Packers brought back Lancaster on a one-year deal. An undrafted free agent out of Northwestern in 2018, he is nothing if not an effective backup nose tackle. Wide-bodied and strong, Lancaster can take on the double teams and let others have cleaner lines of sight to the football. Somewhat desperate for players along the defensive line, the Packers have sometimes played Lancaster out of position up front, creating issues. But he's always found ways of making plays and creating plays against the run, highlighting his value as a rotational player. While he'll never be a pass-rusher, Lancaster plays a role and generally plays it well. Expect him to be on the field for around 300 snaps again in 2021.
Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kingsley Keke is shown Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, during the team's first practice at training camp in Green Bay, Wis.
In 2020, Keke enjoyed the second-year jump all coaches hope for in young players. He was on the field over 400 snaps and made great strides as a pass-rusher, finishing with four sacks and 22 pressures. While possibly a little undersized for every down work at defensive end, Keke excelled as an interior rusher on passing downs, using his impressive quickness to beat guards in one-on-one situations and disrupt the pocket. He has a terrific first step and the type of athleticism at 288 pounds that can really threaten the interior of offensive lines. The lingering effects of a concussion ended his season in late December, leaving a decent-sized hole in the Packers' pass-rush during the playoff run. In Year 3, Keke could become an even bigger part of the subpackage pass-rushing attack for Joe Barry. He looks like a terrific fifth-round find for Brian Gutekunst.
T.J. Slaton
Green Bay Packers defensive tackle T.J. Slaton (93) and defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster (95) participate in minicamp practice Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Green Bay, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
The Packers hope they've found another fifth-round gem in Slaton, a massive man listed at 6-4 and 330 pounds. He is the nose tackle type, possibly giving the Packers more opportunities to keep Kenny Clark from playing so many of the tough snaps on the nose throughout games and the season. Slaton flashed impressive disruptive ability at Florida but was never a consistent playmaker. At the very least, he is a rare athlete at his size, giving him the potential to be an intriguing part of the defensive line rotation. Conditioning and keeping his weight under control will be priorities. If he can become a professional and continue developing, Slaton could become a Johnny Jolly-like presence for Green Bay.
Willington Previlon
Green Bay Packers' Willington Previlon (99) is shown Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, during the team's first practice at training camp in Green Bay, Wis.
Previlon, an undrafted rookie signed in 2020, spent his first season on the team's practice squad. A full year in Green Bay provides an opportunity for a young player to take a significant step forward and make a real run at a roster spot. The Packers list him at 6-5 and 287 pounds, a frame fitting for defensive end duties, and he flashed explosive athleticism at times at Rutgers. Can he rush the passer during camp and make the Packers' decisions along the defensive line more difficult?
Jack Heflin
Defensive lineman Jack Heflin (90) Is shown during the first day of Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021 in Green Bay, Wis.
Heflin was one of the top defensive players in the MAC before transferring to Iowa in 2020. An undrafted free agent, Heflin will have the chance to follow the path of Tyler Lancaster and make the Packers' 53-man roster as a big, tough, run-stopping role player. His size and power will be appealing traits in the role. Can he overcome a lack of pass-rushing juice to make the team? A year on the practice squad – and a chance to work with coach Jerry Montgomery – might do him a lot of good. Heflin will be a staff favorite, and he is the type of player that often surprises during the summer.
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