A stuffer assembly includes a stuffer chute and a stuffer for transferring crop material from the stuffer chute into a baling chamber. The stuffer includes a tine bar having a plurality of tines. Each tine is slidably connected to the tine bar to be linearly movable with respect to the tine bar between an extended position and a retracted position parallel to a radial direction of the tine bar. A method accordingly includes retracting a tine from the extended position into the retracted position in case of an overload.