The Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams had very similar seasons in 2023. Los Angeles went 10-7 and had very up and down moments throughout the year. The Packers finished 9-8 and really started firing on all cylinders during the latter half of the season.
Heading into the 2024 season both teams are looking to take that next step. Both feel they could be Super Bowl contenders. However, the Rams could reportedly be interested in one of Green Bay’s best players.
The Green Bay Packers Could Be Competing With The Los Angeles Rams For Their Own Player
According to Kenneth Arthur of SB Nation:
If the L.A. Rams can’t find a defensive tackle in the draft who can sit on Aaron Donald’s throne for a while, maybe they can do it in trade. Or free agency. And the top name on everyone’s list is going to be Kenny Clark.
As written by Acme Packing Company, the Packers are entering a desperate situation with regard to Clark’s 2024 cap number, meaning that Green Bay probably needs to extend Clark to lower it…or risk parting ways with Clark somehow in the next 10 months.
With that being said, there is one major extension this offseason that is closer to a true fork in the road situation. On the Packers’ 2024 cap table, the number one cap hit on the squad this season is 29-year-old defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who carries a $27.5 million cap hit in a contract year. For perspective, Green Bay only has one other player — cornerback Jaire Alexander — who has a cap hit north of $14.4 million, roughly half of Clark’s 2024 number.
According to Over the Cap, Clark has a 2023 valuation of around $12.8 million per season, which essentially matched his cap hit last year — $12.9 million. Due to Clark essentially having his base salary turned into a signing bonus in every year of his contract extension with the addition of void years, though, the final year of his deal — 2024 — has led to the ballooned $27.5 million cap figure this season.
Even if the Packers let Clark play out this season, Clark will count $13.7 million against the team’s salary cap in 2025 — beyond his $27.5 million cap hit in 2024. And that’s with him hitting free agency. The Packers essentially have $41.2 million remaining to account for in cap dollars for Clark’s remaining lone season on his contract. You don’t have to be a cap guru to realize why the team might want to do something about that.
Kenny Clark’s Future In Green Bay Will Come To Light Very Soon
The Packers must decide how to restructure Kenny Clark’s contract to avoid a $27.5 million cap hit in 2024. As De’Vondre Campbell’s contract comes off the books on June 1st, possible cap adjustments, including an extension for Clark, could be enabled.
To manage future cap implications effectively, the team is likely to prioritize extending Jordan Love while also addressing Clark’s contract.
Depending on how Green Bay handles Kenny Clark’s contract in the coming months, the team’s financial flexibility and offseason strategy could be significantly affected.
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