The Green Bay Packers have 307 problems, and stopping the run is all of them.
That's how many rushing yards they allowed to the Baltimore Ravens a week ago, an ominous sign with the playoffs looming. Green Bay will visit either Chicago or Philadelphia in the first round, two teams with elite offensive lines that won't hesitate to run the ball.
Another number haunts the Packers — 14 million. That's how many dollars T.J. Slaton received from the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency last spring. Green Bay let him walk, a decision now looking increasingly miserable.
Packers' decision to let T.J. Slaton walk in free agency is coming back to haunt them
Not bringing back Slaton felt like a gamble at the time, even with the expectation that the Packers would still have Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt available.
Clark, of course, was part of the blockbuster Micah Parsons trade with the Dallas Cowboys, while the Packers have since lost Wyatt to a season-ending injury.
Green Bay hoped undrafted rookie Nazir Stackhouse could become the two-down run-stopper the defense needed, but he hasn't made the impact many expected. The Packers' interior defensive line issues remain a major problem, which is why they just brought back Jonathan Ford, whom they drafted in the seventh round in 2022 but never gave an opportunity to in the regular season. Ford's only career snaps came with the Chicago Bears.
Slaton, meanwhile, remains a reliable starter in Cincinnati. He hasn't missed a game for the Bengals this season, starting 17 and producing solid play against the run. The veteran has also increased his production as a pass-rusher, registering two sacks and six QB hits, both career highs. That's not what he's known for, but Slaton is offering more interior pass rush than he did in Green Bay.
The Packers have to somehow figure out their run defense issues.
It's going to take a collective effort from Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden leading the way, and they will need help from Stackhouse and fellow rookie Warren Brinson. Even Ford may get an opportunity.
The Packers didn't think they would lose Kenny Clark back in March, but Micah Parsons becoming available via trade made it a deal they couldn't refuse. After making the move, they didn't anticipate not having Parsons down the stretch due to injury.
But not retaining Slaton always looked like a bad decision, not just a reaction in hindsight. He was an underrated player along the defensive line last season, and his absence leaves a void in run defense that they simply don't have an answer for. It could ruin the Packers' playoff hopes.