According to published reports, the Bengals got a starting run stopper on the first day of free agency when published reports said they agreed with Packers nose tackle TJ Slaton on a two-year deal.
The 6-4, 330-pound Slaton, who has started the last 34 games, is coming off a productive year in Green Bay's playoff run where he played about 40% of the downs and had 30 tackles, a sack, two quarterback hits and two tackles for loss to go with four quarterback pressures as the Packers finished seventh in the NFL against the run. In 2024, Slaton ranked first among defensive tackles in run stop win rate, per ESPN.
Slaton, who has 36 career starts and has never missed a game in his four seasons, arrives with the Bengals looking to shore up their run defense under new defensive line coach and run game coordinator Jerry Montgomery. Montgomery coached Slaton during his first three years in the league and was there when the Packers took him in the fifth round out of Florida in 2021.
Slaton provides the muscle in a tackle rotation that includes veteran three technique B.J. Hill and sophomore three tech Kris Jenkins Jr., and sophomore swingman McKinnley Jackson. After finishing fifth and seventh against the rush in 2021 and 2022, respectively, the Bengals are looking to get back into the top ten following 26th and 19th finishes the last two years.
