The Carolina Panthers’ Derrick Brown is the latest interior defender to earn a big pay-day, which is of note for the Green Bay Packers and Kenny Clark.
According to Adam Schefter, Brown’s extension with the Panthers is for $96 million over four years.
As Schefter would go on to mention, Brown has now become the 10th interior defensive lineman to receive a lucrative deal within the last year:
Chris Jones: 5-years, $158.75M
Christian Wilkins: 4-years, $110M
Justin Madubuike: 4-years, $98M
Quinnen Williams: 4-years, $96M
Derrick Brown: 4-years, $96M
Jeffery Simmons: 4-years, $94M
Daron Payne: 4-years, $90M
Dexter Lawrence: 4-years, $90M
Leonard Williams: 3-years, $64.5M
Javon Hargrave: 4-years, $84M
This recent extension now becomes another data point for Clark in a defensive tackle market that has exploded as of late. Clark is about to enter the final year of his current deal with the Packers.
Clark is set to earn a base salary of $15.5 million this season but has a large cap hit of $27.49 million, which is the largest on the team.
Clark continues to be a steady force in the middle of the Packers’ defense. At a position group where the Packers have experienced plenty of up and down performances, Clark provides not only stability, but has blossomed into one of the better interior defenders in the game.
Clark is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2023, totaling 66 pressures and a career-high 7.5 sacks. Among all interior defenders, he ranked sixth in pressures and 11th in pass rush productivity.
However, given the recent slew of new contracts within this position group, Clark is going to enter 2024 as the 13th highest-paid interior defender by average annual value (AAV) and 13th in terms of money guaranteed.
By AAV, the highest-paid interior lineman in 2024 is Chris Jones at $31.75 million per year. Justin Madubuike is third at $27.5 million per year, and Jeffrey Simmons is fifth at $24 million per season.
With Clark’s cap hit being so high, if the two parties were able to work out an extension before the season began, this is a move that would actually save the Packers’ cap space in 2024 by allowing them to convert a portion of Clark’s base salary to a signing bonus and push some of those cap charges into future years.
Recently, Tom Silverstein did indicate that the Packers will attempt to extend Clark.