Packers’ Defensive Line Shuffle: What Nazir Stackhouse’s Healthy Scratch Really Means
The Green Bay Packers are navigating a tricky stretch along their defensive front. With Devonte Wyatt sidelined for the season after suffering a serious ankle injury during the Thanksgiving win over Detroit, the expectation was that rookie interior lineman Nazir Stackhouse would step into a bigger role. Instead, in a surprising move, Stackhouse was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s game against the Bears-his first of the season.
That decision raises some eyebrows, and more importantly, some questions about where Stackhouse stands in the Packers' plans as the team pushes toward the postseason.
A Surprising Call on Game Day
Heading into Week 14, it looked like Stackhouse was in line for extended snaps. The Packers were thin inside, and the rookie had shown flashes-especially as a pass rusher. But just before kickoff, Green Bay elevated Jordon Riley from the practice squad and made Stackhouse inactive.
Riley, who was signed to the practice squad just days earlier on December 3, hasn’t exactly lit up the stat sheet in his young career. In two seasons with the Giants, he’s logged just two pressures on 167 pass-rush snaps. His Pro Football Focus grades reflect that limited impact-posting sub-56 marks in both pass rush and run defense.
Still, the Packers opted to give Riley a look, possibly in hopes of finding a spark. With a defensive line rotation in flux, sometimes teams have to experiment. But when that experiment comes at the expense of a player like Stackhouse-who’s already shown more pass-rush production in far fewer snaps-it raises questions.
Stackhouse’s Numbers Tell a Mixed Story
Let’s be clear: Stackhouse hasn’t been dominant, but there’s potential. He’s registered three pressures on just 47 pass-rush snaps.
That’s not elite, but it’s something. Where the concern lies is in his run defense.
At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Stackhouse was expected to be a space-eater and gap-plugger. But through 67 snaps against the run, he’s recorded just two stops.
That kind of production-or lack thereof-might explain why the Packers are shifting gears. Against a Bears offense that thrives on the ground, it seems Green Bay chose to lean more on Karl Brooks, who’s been more active in the run game with six stops this season despite a modest 56.2 run defense grade.
What This Means for Stackhouse Moving Forward
This isn't just about one week. Sunday’s scratch could be the first signal that Stackhouse is slipping down the depth chart.
For a player who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, every opportunity matters. And when those chances start disappearing, it’s a sign the coaching staff might be looking elsewhere-at least for now.
There’s still time for Stackhouse to turn things around. Ideally, he uses this week as motivation, shows out in practice, and forces his way back into the rotation.
That’s the best-case scenario. But there’s also a very real possibility that this becomes a trend.
If the Packers don’t trust him to hold up against the run, especially with another matchup against the Bears looming in Week 16 (and potentially again in the playoffs), they may continue to look for other options.
Stackhouse is under contract for two more seasons after this one, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. As a former UDFA, he’s not locked in financially, and roster spots are always up for grabs-especially for players on the fringe.
The Bigger Picture
This move isn’t just about Stackhouse or Riley. It’s about a Packers defense trying to find the right mix up front as they battle for playoff positioning. Wyatt’s injury created a void, and the team is clearly still figuring out how to fill it.
For Stackhouse, the message is clear: the margin for error is razor-thin. And Sunday may have been more than just a one-week benching-it might’ve been the start of a longer evaluation period. Whether he climbs back into the rotation or fades into the background could depend on what he does in the next few weeks, both in practice and, if given the chance, on the field.
The opportunity is still there. But the clock is ticking.