The Green Bay Packers pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, acquiring Micah Parsons, one of the best pass rushers in the game, in exchange for two first round draft choices and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. While the trade boosts the Packers Super Bowl chances and has excited the Packers fan base, Clark leaves behind a strong legacy in Green Bay and will be missed as he heads to Dallas to play for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.
The Packers selected Clark in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The UCLA alum was the final player on the Packers roster drafted by the late Ted Thompson.
Clark became a starter in his second season with the Packers. He started out as the nose tackle in the team’s 3-4 defense. At various times in his career, he did move to a more traditional defensive tackle role. He played well in both positions.
Clark became one of the few present-day NFL defensive tackles who could both stop the run and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He earned Pro Bowl honors three times, after the 2019, 2021 and 2023 seasons. In 2023, Clark recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks.
Unfortunately, Clark struggled in 2024 after suffering a broken toe in the season opener in Brazil. His sack total went down to just one. The broken toe took away his explosiveness off the snap of the ball, one of the strengths of his game. He played through the injury and still appeared all 17 games for the Packers, but his level of play wasn’t the same.
As a nine-year veteran, Clark provided the Packers with leadership. He was also involved in the community off the field and was twice the Packers nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award which honors NFL players who do positive things on and off the field.
The inclusion of Clark in this blockbuster trade made sense. Clark will turn 30 in October. Moreover, Clark’s cap hit will rise substantially next season. It was unlikely the Packers would keep Clark under his current deal, which would have carried a cap hit of more than $31.3 million. They would either have to restructure his contract or part ways with him next offseason even before he was included in this trade. Moving on from Clark helped free up cap space for the Packers to afford Parsons.
The Packers front office and coaching staff fully appreciated what Clark brought to the team over the course of his nine years with the team. GM Brian Gutekunst had this to say about Clark a year ago when he signed him to a rare third contract with the Packers. “He is a model player that you kind of want to build a program around,” Gutekunst explained. “Kenny’s just a pro’s pro. He takes care of his body, puts the right things first, and the main thing’s the main thing for Kenny. He loves football. To play as long as he has at the level that he has, you’ve got to love it. He certainly loves football, and he’s an unselfish team guy. He’s all about winning. He is the exact example of the kind of guys we want in that locker room.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur also appreciated Clark’s contributions. “Kenny is the model of consistency in everything he does,” LaFleur said. “His approach — obviously, he was here participating all offseason and then just the work he puts in. He has guys out with him in California and helping those young guys along. And you can always count on him each and every Sunday. I’m just really happy, ecstatic that we got that done. … I think the guys are fired up for him, as well.”
His departure will leave the Packers with a hole at defensive tackle. The team will need to find replacements for Clark who can help stop the run. The team lacks experienced players with his size and ability.
But now Clark is an ex-Packer. The move made sense. The final act of his Packers career will be his inclusion in a deal that got the team an elite pass rusher in his prime. The Packers hope Parsons is the final piece of the puzzle to make them a Super Bowl winner. As for Clark, his legacy in Green Bay is secure. Although he never won the Super Bowl with the team, he has been a great Packer. He will undoubtedly be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame once he’s eligible.