The Green Bay Packers' defensive line has gone through a significant overhaul over the past couple of offseasons. Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark are no longer in town, but they have Micah Parsons and Javon Hargrave, among others.
A new look on defense might benefit some guys, but others may not be in Jonathan Gannon's plans. Notably, that might be the case with Nazir Stackhouse, a former undrafted free agent who didn't make much of a splash as a rookie.
The Packers signed him out of Georgia, and while the Packers don't usually give their first-year players more than what they can chew, the current state of the roster makes it difficult to envision a scenario where he makes the cut.
The Packers may not hold onto Nazir Stackhouse for much longer
Somewhat surprisingly, Stackhouse survived his first offseason at Lambeau Field. He even made 13 appearances, but he only played 159 snaps. He struggled against the run, and his lack of prowess as a pass rusher wasn't necessarily encouraging ahead of year two.
The Packers brought some solid competition with rookie third-round pick Chris McCllelan. They also have Warren Brinson, a fellow Bulldog and former college teammate, as another potential option to start at nose tackle.
McLlelan isn't as raw as the average rookie at the position. And while the Packers usually take things slowly with their first-year guys, not getting him on the field as often and early as possible would be a disservice. Even if that's not the case, both he and Brinson represent a more reliable option against the run than Stackhouse.
While one could argue that Stackhouse's big frame could be of use in Jonathan Gannon's 3-4 scheme, he didn't show enough versatility or growth in his lone season with the team to believe he can earn his spot in training camp.
Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean his days with the organization are over. If the Packers liked him enough to sign him last offseason, they may like him enough to keep him as a practice squad guy. That always leaves the door open for another opportunity.
This team won't have much margin for error on defense, and with all eyes set on Jeff Hafley's successor, the Packers will have to be extremely intentional with every player they keep around. Stackhouse doesn't bring anything unique or special to the table, and they already have more than enough depth at the position.
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