Big Asterisk, Big Opportunity for Packers’ Nazir Stackhouse

Nazir Stackhouse made the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster, extending the team’s incredible streak of at last one undrafted free agent making the Week 1 roster to 21 seasons.

As a whole, though, Green Bay’s undrafted class was underwhelming for a second consecutive year. Last year, the streak stayed alive only because of waiver-claim kicker Brayden Narveson. This year, the Packers signed 14 college free agents after the draft and Stackhouse was the last man standing. That 7.1 percent success rate was the seventh-lowest in the league and the worst in the NFC North, according to OverTheCap.com.

However, Green Bay is hoping to get quality over quantity this season. With Kenny Clark shipped to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade and TJ Slaton signing with the Bengals in free agency, Stackhouse will have a critical role in stopping the run, beginning on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

“When we all figured out that Micah was probably going to come here, I was questioning, ‘I wonder who they’re trading.’ And then my phone blew up, and it was Kenny,’” Stackhouse said on Monday. “And then Kenny [in a text message] was like, ‘I appreciate you all.’ I’m like, ‘Dammit.’

“I feel like Kenny, because of his longevity here in Green Bay, he had such an impact on the guys on the team. That was something we felt was very important. When they made the trade, it messed us all up a little bit. But we all know the task at hand. So, we knew the responsibilities and as a defensive line interior-wise, we know the burden we’re going to have to uphold. So, we’re ready for the opportunity, ready for being thrown in the fire.”

There will be no easing Stackhouse into things. In nine seasons in Green Bay, Clark started 126 games. Green Bay’s five-man depth chart has combined to start six games.

Stackhouse, however, started 42 games at Georgia. At 327 pounds, he’s the biggest player on the defense.

“Yeah, that’s my boy,” defensive end Rashan Gary said on Monday. “I just tell him Stack, keep stacking. He’s very consistent. He don’t like messing up, and then when he do get a coaching point, it’s just crazy how he’s able to take the coaching point and it can be the next play, use it. Having a young guy having that mindset and able to do that, it’s great seeing it. He’s hard worker, man, and everything that’s coming his way he’s earned it, for sure.”

Gary was a first-round pick in 2019. In his NFL debut, he played six snaps against the division-rival Bears. Stackhouse and fellow rookie Warren Brinson, a sixth-round pick, figure to play a lot more than six snaps against the division-rival Lions.

“Excited to see what they can do,” defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said on Thursday. “I thought they played well in the preseason, they played well against our offensive line, and now we’ll see what they can do on Sunday. But I have confidence in them.

“Like anybody else in this league, you’re going to have to go through some adversity. You’re going to have some great moments, you’re going to have some tough moments, and we got to coach them through it, and they have to be tough enough to go through it, and I think they have a chance to be really good players.”

Stackhouse was one of four undrafted free agents who received more than $100,000 from the Packers in guaranteed money. Linebacker Jamon Johnson and safety Johnathan Baldwin re-signed to the practice squad; Tyler Cooper was not retained.

Of the 14 original players signed in college free agency, Stackhouse, Johnson, Baldwin and offensive tackle Brant Banks remain with the team. Three more undrafted rookies who didn’t sign with Green Bay immediately after the draft are on the practice squad: receiver Will Sheppard was added just before training camp, receiver Isaiah Neyor was added during training camp and offensive lineman Dalton Cooper was added after roster cuts.

Combining the roster with the practice squad, Green Bay ranked 17th in practice-squad retention, according to OTC.

While teams might offer more money to their undrafted free agents, the Packers offer something perhaps more tangible.

Opportunity.

“I do think we have a tremendous history with our undrafted free agents, and we put a lot of time into it, a lot of work,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “I think across the league, agents understand that when players come here, they’re going to get an opportunity. No matter if a guy’s drafted in the second round (or) a UDFA, they’re going to get the same chance in some instances.

“We don’t have an owner that’s looking over us asking why we did this? We just keep what we think is the best players for our football team. So, I think we have a great history there. And the most important thing to me is that the community understands that if they send their player to Green Bay, he’s going to get a fair shake, and he’s going to have a chance to make the football team.”