General manager Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers have some serious work to do to get under the salary cap this offseason.
Ahead of the new league year beginning on March 13, the Packers are currently approximately $6.9 million over the cap, in terms of effective cap space. However, veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark could be in line to sign a new extension in order for Green Bay to free up some additional spending flexibility.
Clark is set to count $27.4 million against the cap in 2024, however, according to Spotrac, the 28-year-old could command a three-year extension worth $51 million.
Without signing a new deal, only veteran offensive tackle David Bakhtiari is projected to count more against the cap than Clark is ahead of the 2024 campaign. Likewise, Clark’s current deal currently makes up 10.94 percent of the Packers’ cap percentage.
Still one of the premier players at his position, Clark produced 7.5 sacks, underscoring his dominance as an interior pass-rusher, while adding 44 total tackles. Clark made his third Pro Bowl appearance in 2023, replacing Javon Hargrave, who made the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers.
An Extension Wouldn’t be Kenny Clark’s First Reworked Contract
If the Packers do wind up signing Clark to an extension, it would mark the second consecutive offseason that Green Bay reworked the veteran’s contract.
Just last offseason, the Packers freed up $11 million in cap space by converting $13.835 million into a signing bonus.
At the time Clark’s deal was restructured, Green Bay had just $6.4 million in cap space, so reworking the Pro Bowl defensive lineman’s deal was as pivotal to creating spending flexibility last offseason as it could prove to be once free agency begins this year.
The Packers aim to build on a 2023 season that culminated with a surprise playoff run, including a 48-32 blowout victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card, prior to falling to the eventual conference champion San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
Lowering Clark’s cap number could prove a vital first step towards the Packers progressing even further in 2024.
Brian Gutekunst Confident Packers Can Compete for Free Agents
Despite the fact that the Packers find themselves in dire cap straits, Gutekunst doesn’t believe it will be a deterrent to adding talent this offseason.
“I think it just depends on the player,” Gutekunst told reporters. “It depends on who that is and how he can impact our football team. I don’t think we’ll shy away from adding impact players if we have to push things down the road. We’d prefer not to do that, but at the same time, this is about winning and trying to win a championship, so if that’s something that makes sense, we’ll do it.”
Whether it is veteran safety Darnell Savage‘s future, or to decide if it is time to move on from Bakhtiari, Green Bay faces some difficult decisions this offseason.
However, Gutekunst and the Packers will have the ability to restructure the contracts of several veteran players, and a looming long-term extension for upstart quarterback Jordan Love are feasible options for Green Bay to create added spending flexibility this offseason.
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Packers Pro Bowler Could Sign Extension to Free Up Cap Space