Green Bay Packers awarded Chris Slayton off waivers

On3 image — INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 02: Syracuse defensive lineman Chris Slayton answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on March 02, 2019 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire)

The Green Bay Packers have added defensive lineman Chris Slayton off of waivers. The San Francisco 49ers released Slayton on Monday, and on Tuesday, the Packers were awarded the former seventh-round pick. With Green Bay picking him up off of waivers, they are now responsible for the rest of his deal; which has one year left and is valued at $705,000.

Slayton is originally a seventh-round pick made by the New York Giants in the 2019 draft. He played college football for the Syracuse Orange. The six-foot-four, 300-plus-pound interior defensive lineman has seen very little field time in his three years in the NFL. Slayton has also been a member of six different NFL franchises in that time. The Giants, as mentioned above, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, 49ers, and now Packers. He has primarily been a member of those teams’ practice squads.

Slayton will have a huge hill to climb as he competes for playing time in Green Bay. The five interior defensive linemen projected to make the Packers roster right now are Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, T.J Slaton, Jarran Reed, and first-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft Devonte Wyatt.

Matt LaFleur evaluates Packers draft class at wide receiver

The Green Bay Packers stuck to their tradition of not selecting a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft this year. However, despite not picking up one in the first round Green Bay selected a total of three receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft. During a recent press conference following the Packers rookie minicamp, head coach Matt LaFleur gave his evaluation of the Packers draft class at wide receiver.

“They’re all their own type of receiver,” said LaFleur. “But I do think that they all offer some versatility; whether or not we want to put them inside or outside. And they’re all eager to learn. We’ll just see how much they can handle and how fast they can acclimate themselves to our offense.”

The Packers’ picks at wide receiver added some much-needed depth to the position. In the second round, Green Bay took North Dakota State wideout, Christian Watson. The former Bison will look to make an immediate impact in the Packers’ passing game, helping to fill the void left by the trade of All-Pro receiver Devante Adams. Green Bay also selected Romeo Dobbs out of Nevada in the fourth round and Samori Toure from Nebraska.