The Pittsburgh Steelers clearly saw hiring Mike McCarthy as an opportunity to improve at quarterback and on the offensive side of the ball. But the Steelers need to get better on defense too.
In 2025, the Steelers allowed the seventh-most yards around the league. They were also ranked 17th in points yielded.
To provide a defensive line boost, Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond proposed Monday the Steelers acquire a former McCarthy draft pick. Drummond pitched Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Kenny Clark as a Steelers trade target.
Clark played for McCarthy with the Green Bay Packers in his first three NFL seasons.
“One would think this exercise is about offensive players, and it mostly is, but one can’t ignore the connection here,” Drummond wrote. “The Dallas Cowboys acquired Clark in the trade for Micah Parsons last August.
“If the Cowboys choose to move on from one of their three, $20 million per year defensive tackles, Clark could be the one to go. And if that’s the case, perhaps McCarthy is looking to reunite with the head coach who drafted him in Green Bay.”
During 2025, Clark posted 36 combined tackles, including six for loss in his first campaign with the Cowboys. He also had nine quarterback hits and three sacks.
Over his 10-year NFL career, Clark has earned about $109.8 million according to Spotrac.
How Kenny Clark Could Fit With Steelers
As Drummond mentioned, Clark came to Dallas as part of the Micah Parsons trade last summer. In Green Bay, Clark put together a strong career, making three Pro Bowls.
His first Pro Bowl season was the year after McCarthy departed Green Bay. In three seasons with McCarthy, Clark posted 10.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, six pass defenses and three forced fumbles in 44 games.
To make a Clark trade work with Pittsburgh, though, the Cowboys would probably have to agree to retain salary. Clark has two years remaining on a 3-year contract extension he signed with the Packers.
In 2026, he will have a $21.5 million cap hit.
The Steelers already have an expensive, aging defense. It might not make sense for the team to accept a deal for Clark unless the veteran didn’t cost much.
Steelers Officially Moving on From DL Coach Karl Dunbar: Report
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported on January 15 the Steelers told their assistant coaches they were free to pursue other opportunities. Furthermore, the team told those assistants that if they were to return in Pittsburgh for 2026, the next head coach would have to rehire them.
Still, it essentially became official Tuesday that defensive line coach Karl Dunbar wouldn’t be back.
“Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar is among the Steelers coaches not being retained by new head coach Mike McCarthy,” wrote CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
This is noteworthy as it relates to potential Steelers trades because veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward played for Dunbar since 2018. Heyward, who turns 37 in May, could elect to retire rather than play for a new head coach for the first time since college and for a new position coach in nearly a decade.
Heyward and Clark play different roles on their team’s defensive lines. But if Heyward retired, the Steelers might have more motivation to add a veteran such as Clark to the defensive front.
The Steelers, though, would probably rather just have Heyward return. At 36, he made second-team All-Pro with 78 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks and six pass defenses in 2025.
Steelers Trade Pitch Reunites Mike McCarthy With $109 Million Pro Bowler