The Green Bay Packers are in the midst of a fairly quiet offseason. GM Brian Gutekunst spent most of the offseason retaining the team's key contributors while only signing two significant external free agents in Aaron Banks and Nate Hobbs.
That doesn't mean, however, that Green Bay didn't lose any starters. One important part of the rotation who left in free agency was defensive tackle TJ Slaton.
Slaton signed a two-year, $14.1 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, with an additional $1 million available in incentives.
TJ Slaton May Not Live Up to the Expectations That Come With New Contract
Considering how Slaton performed last season for the Packers, it makes sense why the team didn't want to retain him for that price.
As a full-time starter on the defensive line alongside Kenny Clark, Slaton was one of the most disappointing players for the Packers last season. After earning the job over Devonte Wyatt, Slaton struggled immensely throughout the season but held onto his starting role, much to the frustration of Packers fans.
Slaton ended the season with a disastrous 45.3 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus. In the postseason matchup against the Eagles, he was even worse, receiving a 37.7 grade on PFF in 30 defensive snaps.
The former fifth-round pick has the size and athleticism to be an effective defensive lineman, but he has lacked consistency and effort throughout his Packers tenure. The fact that he hasn't missed a single game in four years is certainly a big plus and will come in handy for the Bengals. At the same time, it's hard to imagine him putting together a consistently impactful season in Cincinnati.
Slaton will be behind Kris Jenkins Jr. and BJ Hill for the Bengals to start the season. Unless he proves that he can play with the same level of effort week in week out, he will likely not live up to the expectations that come with his new contract.