The Green Bay Packers have 11 draft picks for the 2024 NFL Draft. Five of the 11 picks come in the first three rounds. That is a lot of firepower to add to the team, with the option to trade up in the first round if they want to.
However, rumors have begun to swirl that the Packers may add even another high selection pick. This time, it would take the form of trading one of their top players.
Green Bay Packers star has trade reports surfacing only days before the 2024 NFL draft.
According to Christopher Knox of Bleacher Report, several players may be traded following this year’s draft. Among them was Packers’ great defensive tackle Kenny Clark:
The Green Bay Packers have one of the NFL’s youngest rosters, and their playoff window has just opened. They are unlikely to deal away good, young players, but they may face difficult financial considerations following the draft.
Last May, the Packers signed quarterback Jordan Love to a one-year deal, but he is now entering the final year of his contract. They also have 11 picks in the 2024 draft and can take many chances on an expensive position if they decide to replace a veteran.
Kenny Clark, a defensive tackle, is a guy to watch. While Clark will not be 29 until October, he has been with the Packers since 2016 and is in the final year of his current contract. With defensive tackle contracts skyrocketing—Derrick Brown recently received a four-year, $96 million extension from the Carolina Panthers—a third contract for Clark could be prohibitively pricey.
If a team in need of defensive line help, such as the Browns or Dallas Cowboys, does not choose Clark, the Packers may be able to find a trade partner for him. Clark might be gone if Green Bay reloads sufficiently on defense.
The Packers may save $17 million in 2024 cap space by dismissing Clark after June 1.
Will the Packers ever trade Kenny Clark?
Clark has been an integral part of the Packers’ defense since he was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. However, he is 28 years old (and will turn 29 during the 2024 season).
He is now under contract through the 2024 season and will undoubtedly seek a new deal after (or during) the following season. Will the Packers sign a multi-year contract with someone who will spend the most of it on the wrong side of 30?
Chris Jones, a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, has demonstrated that you can still play at a high level at the age of 29. The Packers may want to keep Clark around for that kind of production, or they may decide to move on and continue their unofficial youth movement.
2024 will be a pivotal year for Clark and the Packers.
