The Cincinnati Bengals got another excellent performance from their defensive tackle in their win against the Houston Texans.
No, not that one. No, not him either. No, no, not the former Day 2 draft pick either. The other one.
For the second consecutive week, TJ Slaton showed up and showed out on the defensive line, proving that the Bengals did the right thing this offseason by making sure he did not end up as a cap casualty.
Let’s not let Slaton’s contract year go as underappreciated as his 2025 season did. Because as exceptional as Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen and the rest of the Bengals' defensive line were in a 20-6 romp over the Texans in Week 2, Slaton held his own when given his opportunities across 27 snaps.
TJ Slaton doing his best ‘they forgot about Dre’ impression
With all eyes on the newcomers to the defensive line this offseason, it was easy to overlook TJ Slaton, one of Cincinnati’s crown jewels of their 2025 free agent class.
Because of Cincinnati’s ineptitude on defense last year, it would have been easy to throw the humongous baby out with the Stone-cold bath water. But to their credit, the front office and coaching staff thought otherwise.
Now, for the second week in a row, that decision has paid off for the Bengals’ new-look defensive front. After a splashy TFL on Bucs running back Bucky Irving in the season opener, Slaton showed some promising flashes again on Sunday, including absolutely tossing ex-Cincinnati right tackle Trent Brown. Not easy to do against a 6'8", 380-pounder.
Slaton’s presence on Al Golden’s defense did not prove helpful in mitigating last season’s dread, in no fault of the defensive tackle who posted career numbers in sacks, tackles, and QB hits last year.
However, Slaton could be well on his way to posting similar, if not better, numbers this season with an even more impactful presence.
Furthermore, if you only look at the box score, you will not fully appreciate what Slaton brings to Cincinnati’s defense. Hello to all the spreadsheet warriors out there.
Like so many plays that don’t show up in the stat sheet, such as Lawrence in Week 1, Slaton is making plays that will not make ESPN’s SportsCenter, but have a tremendous effect on the game’s outcome, underscored by a holding penalty he drew in Houston.
Moreover, Slaton is being more efficient with the snaps allotted to him. With the added talent around him, he is making crucial plays with fewer snaps. Through the first two games, he has played 37% of defensive snaps, down from 53% last season.
Nevertheless, when you glean the stats from Sunday’s game, you will see that the Texans ran the ball 18 times for 60 yards, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. And that was in part due to what a fresher-bodied Slaton accomplished, along with the rest of the defensive line.
Slaton’s contract year deserves praise, possible raise
Contract years and extensions were a major storyline this offseason, with players like Chase Brown, DJ Turner, and Dax Hill playing in the final year of their deals.
One big name eluded such speculation. However, putting together back-to-back excellent, impactful seasons could net Slaton another big payday this offseason.
The Bengals gave the former Packers DT a two-year, $14 million deal in free agency in 2025.
If he continues to make plays throughout the season as he has done in the first two weeks, we must add him to the very long list of Bengals players whom other teams will jump on in the early tampering window of free agency.
Perhaps you are one of the many fans who believed his $9 million cap hit was too much in 2026. Well, he may grab a contract that is worth even more to another team in free agency next year.
Let’s hope that is the case as Slaton and the rest of his defensive line brethren continue to show that this iteration of Cincinnati’s defensive front has nothing to do with recent facsimiles.
But while Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, Kris Jenkins, and Cashius Howell will get the love they deserve this week, Slaton should also get the recognition he merits, but may not receive enough of it for the second year straight.
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