It’s been discussed as a possibility this offseason as each the Packers and defensive tackle Kenny Clark have been involved in “ongoing” talks towards a brand new agreement. Well, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the agreement was reached today with Clark signing a three-year, $64MM extension to stay in Green Bay.
Clark has been a longtime Packer, a staple on the team’s defensive front since being drafted out of UCLA in the primary round in 2016. After a rotational role in his rookie season, Clark became a full-time starter in Yr 2 and has held down the role for the rest of his eight years within the NFL. With those eight seasons, Clark ranks within the top-10 in Packers history for tackles for loss (47) and quarterback hits (71) and top-20 for the franchise in sacks (34.0) and compelled fumbles (7).
Back in 2020, Clark inked a four-year, $70MM extension, making 2024 a contract 12 months for the 28-year-old. The contract made Clark the Twelfth-highest paid defensive player within the NFL on the time. This latest deal puts Clark just outside the top-20 for highest paid defensive players but makes him the Tenth-highest paid interior defender in average annual contract value.
Despite his advancing age, Clark greater than deserves his latest payday. While Pro Football Focus tends to be higher on the sooner years of Clark’s profession, his play has aged like a high-quality wine. His most up-to-date 2023 season saw him gain profession highs in sacks (7.5), tackles for loss (9), and quarterback hits (16). Those peaks and three Pro Bowls within the last five years show that Clark isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, especially along with his consistent health. Clark’s no ironman, but he’s only missed eight of 131 games in his profession.
While not all the main points can be found on the brand new contract, Schefter tells us that Clark is ready to receive $29MM, while Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the signing bonus on the brand new deal shall be $17.5MM. With OvertheCap.com currently projecting the DT franchise tag value next offseason to be $22.1MM, the Packers avoid having to soak up that cap hit in 2025.
