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When the Dallas Cowboys decided to trade away Micah Parsons last summer, they didn't admit it publicly, but they were punting on the season for the future. The team waited until August to move the centerpiece of their defensive attack, cutting off new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus at the knees. In return, they gained two first-round picks from the Green Bay Packers, along with stalwart defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
Clark, 30, has likely seen his best days statistically, but he's set to be a central figure in the renewed attack of first-time defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The two crossed paths early in both's careers in Green Bay, and Parker is enthusiastic about getting the chance to work around Clark's skillset as a space-eating pass-rusher.
Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 30
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 314 pounds
Hometown: San Bernadino, CA
High School: Carter (Rialto, CA)
College: UCLA (Film Study Video)
Draft: 2016 First-Round PIck (No. 27), Green Bay Packers
Acquired: 2025 Trade (Parsons for Clark, 2025 1st, 2026 1st)
Contract: Three-year contract (2025) with Packers, $64 million
2026 Salary: $21.5 million cash; $8.8M base, $11M restructure bonus + $1.7M other bonuses, $12.7M cap hit
Career Earnings: $104.7 million (per Over The Cap)
Clark finished with three sacks last season, and with just four total in his last two 17-game seasons, he may have hit his peak in 2023 with his career high 7.5 QB takedowns. Then again, what can really be gleaned from the way the talent was deployed under the quickly removed Eberflus?
Clark had a high missed tackle percentage in 2025, 16.7%, but that should see a huge decrease as he's asked to anchor more in Parker's gap-and-a-half philosophy. Parker's mentioned returning Clark to the NT role in the 30 front, which is where he earned two of his three Pro Bowl nods (2019, 2021) with the Packers. If he does move to nose in this defense, his statistics might not reflect any increased effectiveness. The team will know, even if box-score scouts don't.
Acquiring Clark was the beginning of the organization's new commitment to the interior defensive line, as they sent one of the Green Bay picks as part of a package to add Quinnen Williams. The team has signed a mammoth backup NT in Otito Ogbonnia, another big-body in Jonathan Bullard and then drafted LT Overton. Clark and Williams are going to be the engine that drives this vehicle to an improved 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Dallas Cowboys player profile: No. 97 DT Kenny Clark
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Clark, 30, has likely seen his best days statistically, but he's set to be a central figure in the renewed attack of first-time defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The two crossed paths early in both's careers in Green Bay, and Parker is enthusiastic about getting the chance to work around Clark's skillset as a space-eating pass-rusher.
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Position: Defensive Tackle
Age: 30
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 314 pounds
Hometown: San Bernadino, CA
High School: Carter (Rialto, CA)
College: UCLA (Film Study Video)
Draft: 2016 First-Round PIck (No. 27), Green Bay Packers
Acquired: 2025 Trade (Parsons for Clark, 2025 1st, 2026 1st)
Contract: Three-year contract (2025) with Packers, $64 million
2026 Salary: $21.5 million cash; $8.8M base, $11M restructure bonus + $1.7M other bonuses, $12.7M cap hit
Career Earnings: $104.7 million (per Over The Cap)
Profile
Clark finished with three sacks last season, and with just four total in his last two 17-game seasons, he may have hit his peak in 2023 with his career high 7.5 QB takedowns. Then again, what can really be gleaned from the way the talent was deployed under the quickly removed Eberflus?
Clark had a high missed tackle percentage in 2025, 16.7%, but that should see a huge decrease as he's asked to anchor more in Parker's gap-and-a-half philosophy. Parker's mentioned returning Clark to the NT role in the 30 front, which is where he earned two of his three Pro Bowl nods (2019, 2021) with the Packers. If he does move to nose in this defense, his statistics might not reflect any increased effectiveness. The team will know, even if box-score scouts don't.
Acquiring Clark was the beginning of the organization's new commitment to the interior defensive line, as they sent one of the Green Bay picks as part of a package to add Quinnen Williams. The team has signed a mammoth backup NT in Otito Ogbonnia, another big-body in Jonathan Bullard and then drafted LT Overton. Clark and Williams are going to be the engine that drives this vehicle to an improved 2026.
Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Dallas Cowboys player profile: No. 97 DT Kenny Clark
Continue reading...
