The Green Bay Packers have a stud on the defensive line in two-time Pro Bowler, Kenny Clark. Behind him, however, are bodies that have a lot to prove.

Currently, there are frontrunners for the starting jobs next to Clark. At the same time, however, none of said jobs are etched in stone. And behind them, things are even more up-in-the-air.

That's why the Packers' defensive line battles will be some of the more fun experiences when training camp kicks off next week.

Packers Players Fighting for Jobs on the Defensive Line

Devonte Wyatt

Wyatt is coming off a disappointing rookie year, but he had a few factors working against him: It’s hard for defensive linemen to make an immediate impact in their first year and he also had incumbent guys like Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed ahead of him on the depth chart. He also suffered a quad injury that held him out of the Week 5 contest against the New York Giants in London.

Still, Wyatt was only OK last year. He never did enough to take anyone's job and he didn't play more than 19 snaps in a game until Week 12. He simply couldn't carve out a role in 2022. 

The reports coming out of OTAs and minicamp said T.J. Slaton was lining up next to Clark in nickel packages and the former first-rounder was next to Clark during obvious passing downs. Getting on the field for obvious passing downs is certainly a step in the right direction when it comes to carving out a role, but ultimate progress would be playing close to 70-80% of snaps, a la Clark. 

In order to do that, Wyatt has to round out his game and it's not guaranteed he will. He has to take advantage of being on the field for passing downs, because if he can't, 2023 guarantees nothing and 2024 will easily be the most important year of his career.

T.J. Slaton

Slaton is an interesting prospect who has worked hard for his shot to win the team’s starting nose tackle position in 2023. He’s a big guy at 6-foot-4, 330-pounds and has been in defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s system for the entirety of his two years in the NFL.

The latter part is important, because it gives Slaton an advantage over his main competitor in Jonathan Ford, who we'll talk about in a little bit. 

Right now, this is Slaton's job to lose. Combine that with the fact that, outside of Ford, the Packers don't have a true body that can play nose and it's easy to see why  Slaton is good to go as long as he impresses his coaches.

Colby Wooden

As mentioned earlier, Wyatt is far from guaranteed a starting spot in 2023. Wooden, the rookie fourth-rounder from Auburn, is one of the potential teammates that could snag Wyatt’s spot. Or, make deep cuts into his playing time, at minimum.

That's because Wooden has the skill set to be a matchup nightmare for opposing interior linemen on passing downs. His athleticism, quick first step, and alignment versatility are traits that can routinely make the lives of NFL guards and centers hell – he's just gotta put it together.

Wooden got to run with the 1s at various points during the offseason, which was a valuable learning experience. It'll be interesting to see if he can work his way up the depth chart during camp. Right now, it's an uphill climb, but it's certainly one Wooden can make if he attacks camp the right way.

Karl Brooks

Brooks is another rookie primed for action on the defensive line during passing downs. Much like Wooden, he’s quick off the ball and can play a variety of positions along the defensive line. His motor is non-stop and so is his work ethic, which will come in handy in the NFL.

Some questioned Brooks' fit coming out of college, but it's clear he can wreck game plans. This is evidenced by the fact that he led Bowling Green in sacks during all five years of his career and he was just one of six FBS players with 18.0+ tackles for loss and 10.0+ sacks in 2022. 

Wooden and Brooks may not be able to overtake Wyatt for a starting job, but the competition for the subsequent depth positions will add a ton of intrigue to the camp battles.

Jonathan Ford

Ford made the 53-man roster last year, but it was more of a surprise, than anything. Either way, it’s clear the Packers have the confidence that he can provide depth when called upon. At the same time, however, that doesn’t mean he’s a lock to make the 53, again.

What Ford has going in his favor is mammoth size. The dude has the ideal height and weight for an NFL nose tackle at 6-foot-5, 338-pounds. As we've talked about, the Packers have plenty of interior pass rushing options – it's the run defense that remains in question. 

No one else on the roster, outside of Slaton, comes even close to that height-weight combo. The run defense would undoubtedly suffer (even more) if Slaton were to win the nose tackle job and get hurt without a primary backup. 

As long as Ford can provide consistent reps in practice, he should force the Packers to carry six DLs, again. It'll be interesting to see if he can build off his rookie year.

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There are a few more names competing for jobs: Chris Slayton, Jason Lewan, and Antonio Moultrie. All three of those guys fit the mold of a Wooden/Brooks, however, which obviously means they are going to have to catch some lucky breaks in order to win a roster spot. 

The biggest non-Jordan Love storyline of the 2023 season has to be the Packers run defense. The unit has been abysmal over the last two seasons and you can pretty much guarantee last year's run over the back half of the season will not happen again if things don't improve. 

While there is plenty of youth and inexperience, there is also plenty of athleticism and quickness along the defensive line, which makes things exciting. The team just has to get the most out of not only it's former first-rounder in Wyatt, but the two rookies that were brought in back in April.

All of that starts in camp and it's safe to say the Packers are hoping they end up with a disruptive position group that can routinely force its will upon opposing offensive lines.

Packers Training Camp Battle: Safety

There are a bunch of guys competing for just a couple of jobs, so this will certainly be a battle to watch when the Packers start training camp.

Featured image via Dan Powers/Appleton Post-Crescent via USA TODAY NETWORK