Kenny Clark Joins Cowboys: Former Packers DT Acquired

Word spread on Thursday that Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Kenny Clark was involved in a major NFL trade.

The Packers reportedly traded Clark, along with two first-round draft selections, for Micah Parsons, a highly touted pass-rusher expected to be a cornerstone of their defense for years. This transaction raises questions for the Cowboys, particularly regarding the decisions of team owner and general manager Jerry Jones.

Those questions will likely be addressed soon. Right now, the Cowboys have a new addition to their defensive line. While Clark, at 314 pounds, isn’t an exact substitute for Parsons, who is known for his speed on the edge, he’ll have a significant role – and be under close observation – at the heart of the Dallas defense.

Kenny Clark, a former first-round pick who stuck in Green Bay

Clark, who hails from Southern California and earned all-conference honors at UCLA, was drafted by the Packers in the 2016 NFL Draft, selected with the 27th overall pick.

Since then, he has been a consistent presence on the Green Bay defense, participating in at least 13 games each season of his nine-year career and maintaining a streak of consecutive games played since Week 15 of the 2021 season. During this time, he received three Pro Bowl selections, totaling 417 career tackles.

Clark also brings substantial playoff experience with 11 games played. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst commented on his departure:

“We want to thank Kenny for the incredible impact he made in the locker room, on the field and in the community during his nine seasons in Green Bay. From the time he arrived in 2016, Kenny established himself as one of the top defensive tackles in the league and in the history of this franchise with his production, durability and leadership. He had the respect of everyone in the organization and epitomized what it meant to be a Green Bay Packer. Kenny will be greatly missed, and we wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.”

Clark is especially recognized for his ability to halt the run, likely a primary reason for his move to Dallas.

Jerry Jones has high hopes for Kenny Clark

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, in a press conference following the Parsons trade, spent over 45 minutes explaining his belief that Clark can improve the team this season compared to having Parsons.

“We did think it was in the best interest of our organization — not only the future, but right now, this season as well. We’ve gained a Pro Bowl player in an area that we had big concerns in, the inside of our defense.

“The facts are, specifically, we need to stop the run. We haven’t been able to stop the run at key times for several years.”

Jones also mentioned that the team had been exploring the possibility of adding a defensive tackle known for stopping the run, similar to Clark, since the spring. Stephen Jones added that the team anticipates Clark’s impact on the run defense can compensate for the absence of Parsons’ pass-rushing capabilities:

“The frustration is that we haven’t been able to win the big game in the playoffs, and we think it is a direct connection to not being able to stop the run. We think Kenny Clark’s going to be a big piece to that, and we felt like because of our depth on the edge, as well as the ability to scheme pressure, that we could make up for Micah.”

Time will tell if that strategy proves successful for Dallas. Pro Football Focus assessed Clark as the 43rd-best run defender out of 114 interior defensive linemen and ranked him 53rd overall last season. His 30th birthday is on October 4.

Kenny Clark will be making some decent money in the next couple of seasons

Having spent nine years with the Packers, Clark has already accumulated over $100 million in earnings. His move to the Cowboys will significantly increase his earnings, as his current three-year, $64 million contract includes cap figures of $21.5 million in 2026 and $20 million in 2027.

His cap number for the current year is relatively low at $3 million.