Devonte Wyatt Forces Packers to Promote Undrafted Second-Team All-American Rookie Due to His Own Decline
Green Bay, Wisconsin — November 19, 2025
The Green Bay Packers suddenly find themselves facing a defensive-line dilemma — one that could force an unexpected shift in the rotation as the team enters the toughest stretch of the season. With former first-round pick Devonte Wyatt struggling through one of the coldest stretches of his career, the Packers are now seriously considering expanding the role — or even elevating the depth-chart status — of undrafted rookie Nazir Stackhouse, the 150-kilogram run-stuffer who has quietly become one of the defense’s most consistent performers.
Wyatt’s Decline Has Become Impossible to Ignore
Wyatt opened the year on fire, generating double-digit pressures and flashing the interior explosiveness the Packers always believed he possessed. But since returning from his Week 4 injury, his production has fallen off a cliff:
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Only 4 pressures in his last 60 pass-rush snaps
PFF run-defense grade sitting at 42.1 (122nd of 138 qualified DTs)
Repeated struggles anchoring against double teams
The drop echoes last season’s pattern, when Wyatt also faded after injuries. This year, the regression is glaring enough that Green Bay can no longer pretend it’s temporary.
Enter Nazir Stackhouse — the UDFA With Heavyweight Impact
Stackhouse, signed out of Georgia as an undrafted free agent, arrived as a developmental project… but has rapidly turned into much more. Over the last three weeks, he has:
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Logged 100+ snaps with two PFF grades above 60
Shown elite lower-body power vs. the run
Provided the one thing Green Bay currently lacks: stability inside
With matchups looming against the Ravens, Lions and Bears — three of the NFL’s top rushing teams — Green Bay may not have the luxury of patience with Wyatt.
Matt LaFleur Offers Strong Praise for Stackhouse
When asked about the possibility of expanding the rookie’s workload, head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t hesitate to commend the young defender.
“Nazir’s been earning every snap he gets,” LaFleur said. “He plays with power, discipline, and a mentality we love. He doesn’t back down from contact, he communicates well, and every week he shows growth. When a guy like that keeps stacking good days, you have to reward it.”
LaFleur added that the team will “evaluate all options” on the defensive line, noting that late-season success often comes down to winning the trenches.
Wyatt’s Role Is at Risk
Inside the organization, the sentiment is shifting quickly — not because the Packers have given up on Wyatt, but because the tape doesn’t lie. His inability to anchor against the run contributed to the Giants’ 142 rushing yards in Week 11, and coaches privately worry about even uglier outcomes against Baltimore or Chicago if nothing changes.
“If Wyatt isn’t winning one-on-ones, his value plummets,” one NFC scout said. “Stackhouse might not be flashy, but he’s reliable. And reliability wins December football.”
A Decision Is Coming — Fast
The Packers see themselves as NFC contenders. To stay that way, they need interior toughness, not potential. Stackhouse is trending up. Wyatt is trending in the opposite direction.
If the UDFA continues his climb, Week 12 may be the beginning of a new defensive-line rotation in Green Bay — one led not by a former first-round pick, but by a rookie who refused to let draft night define him
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