Packers’ Star Defender Named Shocking Trade Candidate

Just about everyone, with the possible exception of Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears fans, are high on the Green Bay Packers‘ prospects right now. Many were doubtful they could successfully regroup when they traded franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers a year ago, but Jordan Love, his replacement, led a late-season surge that took them to the brink of the NFC Championship Game.

Plenty feel the Packers now have a legitimate chance to finish first in the NFC North, and some have even tabbed them as potential Super Bowl contenders.

While a lot of attention has been focused on their offense, they have some promise on defense. However, there is always a chance one of their brightest defenders — Kenny Clark — gets traded sometime soon, according to Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report.

“This isn’t an argument that Kenny Clark should be traded,” wrote Ballentine. “He’s still performing at a high level and he just set a career-high for sacks with 7.5 last season.

“But if the Packers are looking to make a deal and want to bring back some draft capital, then Clark is a prime candidate. He’ll turn 29 years old during the season and he’s on the final year of his contract.

“The Packers already have $13.7 million invested in him next season in the form of a void year on his contract. The question is whether they will want to spend the additional money necessary to actually get him under contract.”

The Packers may be forced to make a tough decision on Kenny Clark

Clark is a significant reason Green Bay finished in the top 10 in points allowed, passing yards allowed and passing touchdowns given up last season. He made the Pro Bowl for the third time in 2023, and he was the team’s only Pro Bowler on defense.

On the other hand, Clark may still have enough left in the tank for a couple more good seasons, so perhaps the team won’t want to trade him.

But moving forward, the Packers will need to give out generous contract extensions to several other players, including Love, and money could become one reason why they could ultimately have to cut Clark loose.

The quarterback market has exploded in the NFL over the last couple of years, which means they will have to back up the Brinks truck for Love, who finished second in the league in passing touchdowns in 2023. They will also want to eventually give extensions to at least one or two of their young and promising wide receivers, such as Romeo Doubs.

This “problem” is certainly much better than the problem of lacking talent or having aging, declining players on large contracts.

But the Packers’ path back to Super Bowl contention may not be as easy as some people seem to believe right now.

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