The Green Bay Packers have spent the off-season getting younger while also trying to get better. Moving on from Aaron Jones in favor of Josh Jacobs will be a “wait and see” type of move. However, it’s safe to say that the addition of 24-year-old Safety Xavier McKinney will be a massive upgrade for their defense.
Another star player on defense could see his time with the Packers coming to an end based on some recent moves.
The Green Bay Packers Have Been Looking At Defensive Lineman
Freddie Boston of FanSided highlighted what the Packers have been up to recently:
The Packers may already be preparing for life without star defensive lineman Kenny Clark, who enters his ninth season in 2024. Clark is a three-time Pro Bowler and is coming off arguably the best year of his career, but his long-term future in Green Bay is uncertain.
Clark only has one year remaining on his contract and turns 29 in October. Outside of quarterbacks, the Packers often avoid signing players to a third contract. Davante Adams didn’t get a third contract. Nor did Clay Matthews, Corey Linsley, Bryan Bulaga, or Greg Jennings—the list goes on. Green Bay did give David Bakhtiari a third contract, but he only played 19 games due to injury.
Clark has a team-high cap hit of $27.49 million this season, which the Packers could lower by offering him a long-term extension.
The Packers have shown interest in the rookie defensive line class. Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. and Northern Iowa’s Khristian Boyd are two names to watch.
According to The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, the Packers are hosting Hall for a Top 30 visit. He is a potential second-round target and could replace some of the interior pass-rush ability the Packers would lose without Clark. Among defensive tackles in this year’s class, Hall had the second-best pass-rush win rate, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Boyd posted a photo at Lambeau Field last week, and it’s not the first time Green Bay has met with him. According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, Boyd spoke with the Packers at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Kenny Clark Has Been A Pilar For The Packers Defense For Years
After being selected in 2021 and being injured in 2019, Clark made his third trip to the Pro Bowl in 2023. Additionally, he was named an alternate in 2018. Only Henry Jordan (1960-61, 1963, 1966) and Clark have made three or more Pro Bowls for the Packers at defensive tackle.
A career-high 7.5 sacks (tied career high) were recorded in 2023 by Clark, along with nine tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, three passes defensed, and 16 QB hits (third on the team). In 2023, he ranked second on the team with 50 Next Gen Stat QB pressures.
“My job is to be disruptive,” said Clark. “To make plays and allow other guys to make plays around me. That’s just my key. I just try to be as disruptive as possible, and when it’s my opportunity to make that play, I’ve got to make it.”
“As far as myself? It’s definitely right at the top,” said Clark on Monday when asked how he would rank his performance this season. “Just proud about how I played, how I led this team and just looking forward into the future, knowing that we’ve got something good, knowing that I’ve got something to build up off of. Excited about what we could do.”
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