When the Green Bay Packers signed Kenny Clark to a four-year $70 million contract extension back in 2020, it made him the highest paid nose tackle in NFL history. His $17.5 million annual salary ranked fourth in the NFL at his position, trailing only Aaron Donald ($22.5 million), DeForest Buckner ($21 million), and Chris Jones ($20 million).
Since then, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald signed a three-year $95 million contract that runs through 2024. On Thursday, the New York Jets signed their star defensive tackle, Quinnen Williams, to a four-year $96 million deal.
Obviously, the price for star nose tackles is going up, which means that Clark may be in for another huge payday, and soon.
Will the Green Bay Packers Give Kenny Clark Another Huge Extension?
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Kenny Clark’s contract with the Packers runs through the 2024 season. This means that he will likely want a new contract negotiated and signed before the 2024 season begins. But will the Packers do that?
In 2024, Clark’s salary cap hit is roughly $27.5 million and his dead cap hit is approximately $24.2 million. Therefore, it is very unlikely that the Packers would make him a cap casualty to save a “paltry” $3.3 million. That does not provide much relief.
That being said, the Packers and Clark will have two options: extend before the 2024 season or allow Clark to hit free agency when his contract expires. Of course, there is the possibility that they could extend him during the season, but by then Clark will be an eight-year NFL veteran. He will want the security of another contract.
So, will the Packers give him a third contract and, if so, what will it look like?
As of the end of the 2022 season, Clark is a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who has only missed seven games in his entire career. Though he had a down season in 2022, Clark has come to offseason activities in the best shape of his life and is motivated to make the defense better than it was last season.
Related: Green Bay Packers- 2023 Defensive Line Rankings Is Indicator of Poor Coaching and Roster Management
If Devonte Wyatt, TJ Slaton, and Packers’ rookies Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden can provide quality play alongside Clark (something he has been lacking from his teammates for years), he will have a bounce-back campaign in 2023.
Which is the long way to say, “Yes, the Packers should and will extend him.”
What Will a New Kenny Clark Contract Look Like for the Green Bay Packers?
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There is no way that Clark is going to get Aaron Donald-level money, but he could very well be within the range of Williams’ $24 million annual salary, per Ken Ingalls.
A new contract for Clark would not kick in until the 2025 season, and the good news for Green Bay is that they currently have over $100 million in salary cap space for that year.
Of course, this does not include likely salary cap increases over the next two year. It also does not include likely contracts for Jordan Love, Rashan Gary, and whoever is playing running back (among others).
It is plausible, therefore, that Clark’s new extension (should he get it) will be a four-year deal (through his age 33 season) worth between $20-24 million per year.
Green Bay will be able to afford this extension, and they should make it a top priority following the 2023 season.
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