With few exceptions, the Green Bay Packers rarely do third contracts. Generally speaking, third contracts come with enormous risk, given the level of investment required in a player aged 30 years or older.
The Packers feel like the inherent risk is reduced with defensive lineman Kenny Clark, who signed a three-year, $64 million extension with the team on Sunday. The deal was Clark’s third with the Packers — a rookie deal, a massive second contract and now a big third deal.
Clark could be the rare case where the investment in a third contract is absolutely worth it. Not only is he still only 28 years old, but he’s proven to be an elite and reliable player at an increasingly valuable position — and the Packers believe he’s the ideal player to help lead a championship-level locker room.
“Not only is he an elite player, but he’s an elite locker room guy. It made a ton of sense,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday. “Quite frankly, for a third contract guy, which we don’t do a ton of, he’s still a very young player. He’s played a lot of snaps, played a lot of football, but he’s a very young player. He’s built to last. Hopefully that is the case.”
Clark was a first-round pick of the Packers in 2016. He’s played almost 6,000 total snaps and is now entering his ninth NFL season, but he doesn’t turn 29 years old until October.
Over the last five seasons, Clark has missed only four total games, and he’s never played fewer than 13 games in a season. Not only is he durable year in and year out, but Clark has never suffered a major injury. Throw in the fact that Clark is a three-time Pro Bowler, coming off a disruptive 2023 season and possibly set up for a huge season in a new, attacking defense, and an extension was probably an easy decision in Green Bay.
“He’s just a pro’s pro. Takes care of his body. Puts the right things first. The main thing is the main thing for Kenny,” Gutekunst said. “He loves football. I think, to play as long as he has, at the level he has, you have to love it, and he certainly loves football. He’s an unselfish team guy. He’s all about winning. He’s the exact example of guys we want in that locker room.”
Clark produced 66 total pressures while operating in a 3-4 base defense last season. In Jeff Hafley’s new 4-3 front, which should provide more up-field attacking opportunities, Clark’s impact could skyrocket. More and more, NFL teams are investing in disruptive interior defensive linemen who can impact the passing game. In Hafley’s defense, Clark might threaten his first 10-sack season.
“He’s good in any system. Hopefully there’s more out there for him,” coach Matt LaFleur said.
Most NFL players are talented enough to be great every now and then. The truly elite players are consistently great, and the Packers believe Clark is one of the most consistent players in football.
“He’s a model player that you want to build a program around,” Gutekunst said. “Obviously, he’s a great player. He’s been as consistent as you could ever imagine. We’re really excited to be able to extend him and let him lead that group for the foreseeable future.”
“Kenny is the model of consistency, in everything he does,” LaFleur said. “His approach. He was here participating all offseason. Just the work he puts in. He had the guys out with him in California, helping the young guys along. And you can always count on him, each and every Sunday. I’m really happy, ecstatic that we got that done. I think guys are fired up for him.”
Talented, durable, consistent. Clark is all those things and more. His new deal averages over $21 million in new money, but the Packers are betting on everything that makes Clark great reducing the risk usually baked into third contracts.