The Green Bay Packers finally completed their months-long attempt to acquire Damon “Snacks” Harrison when they claimed the veteran defensive lineman off of waivers from the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday.
Harrison, now 32, is no longer the elite player he was early in his career, but his ability to contribute something as a role player against the run could be valuable for the Packers as Matt LaFleur’s team prepares for a playoff run.
Harrison played in six games for the Seahawks and earned strong grades against the run from Pro Football Focus, proving he still has the size and power to take on blocks at the point of attack, eat up double teams and help disrupt the running game. In Green Bay, Harrison will be a rotational player, potentially assuming snaps from other rotational players such as Tyler Lancaster while also freeing up Kenny Clark and the inside linebackers to do less dirty work and more attacking.
Clark, a Pro Bowler in 2019, is the team’s primary nose tackle, but Harrison’s ability to play the one-technique could allow Mike Pettine to do more with his star defensive lineman down the stretch.
Harrison has played a lot of football and the Packers clearly think he still has something left in the tank. At the very least, the former All-Pro could be a situational upgrade over depth defensive linemen such as Anthony Rush and Brian Price. And Harrison has previously played for Pettine as a rookie with the New York Jets in 2012.
The Packers just held Derrick Henry, the NFL’s leading rusher, to 98 yards in a 40-14 win on Sunday night, but Pettine’s defense is still giving up 4.6 yards per carry, which ranks 24th out of 32 teams this season. Harrison, at 350 pounds, could help lower that number in the postseason, or at least help keep the Packers defense from losing a playoff game due to an inability to survive against the run.
A classic nose tackle or one-technique, Harrison will arrive in Green Bay with a chance to contribute to a Super Bowl run in a specific but important role. The move is similar to the team’s decision earlier this month to add Tavon Austin, who has provided the offense with another jet-sweep option and punt returner on special teams. The Packers have found two veterans who know how to play and can help bolster a roster with title dreams. Harrison might not make or break the season, but just one or two plays can make all the difference come January. Just ask Howard Green, an in-season addition in 2010 who helped create Nick Collins’ game-changing interception of Ben Roethlisberger in Super Bowl XLV.
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