Packers Have Major Decision To Make With Kenny Clark

Contract extension talks have been all the rage for the Green Bay Packers recently. Quarterback Jordan Love is in line for a new deal after his performance in 2023. But, he isn’t the only player who is in limbo, as the future of defensive tackle Kenny Clark is also up in the air.

To create the necessary space to compensate Love, something needs to be done with Kenny Clark. Entering the final season on a four-year, $70 million deal, he has a cap hit approaching $27.5 million in 2024.

Reducing that number would give Green Bay some more wiggle room under the salary cap. That money could be used to lock in Love long-term or address other weaknesses on the roster, such as cornerback depth.

“Pay attention to what the Packers do with Clark’s deal this summer. Green Bay is going to pay Love. They are going to find a way to do that. Whether they can find common ground with Clark on an extension, though, will decide a lot about the 2024 Packers’ cap situation and the 2025 Packers’ offseason needs,” Justis Mosqueda of SB Nation’s Acme Packing Co. wrote.

Kenny Clark remains a productive player for the Packers in the middle of their defensive line. Last season, he finished No. 32 out of 130 qualified players per PFF.

The best outcome for Green Bay would be working out an extension. It would lower the cap hit in 2024 and avoid having $13.75 million in dead cap in 2025 for the void years on the deal. Given how productive he remains, the Packers should want to keep him beyond 2024.

There are players on the depth chart who could be ready to step into bigger roles if the Packers end up releasing Kenny Clark to save money. But losing a player of that caliber when you don’t need to is far from ideal.

A long-term extension makes sense for both sides. Clark can receive a raise in a booming defensive tackle market while the Packers check off another item on their to-do list and can turn their focus solely to Love’s extension.