When the Green Bay Packers sent veteran defensive tackle Kenny Clark and a first-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons before the start of the season, Packers fans were excited to land Parsons, but also sad to see Clark depart the organization after nine years.
The 30-year-old defensive lineman struggled to make an impact in stopping the run (58.4 run defense grade via Pro Football Focus) and only had one sack, which was a drop-off from the 7.5 sacks he recorded in 2023.
That said, the veteran was getting a chance at a fresh start with Dallas as it tried to revamp its defense sans Parsons. That plan hasn’t worked, as the Cowboys are considered one of the worst defenses in the league, and Clark has been a mild disappointment.
To fix their defensive woes, including Clark’s struggles, the Cowboys made a shocking trade on Tuesday, which should put the ex-Packer on notice. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys have acquired three-time Pro Bowler Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets.
Williams gives Dallas an instant upgrade in the middle of the interior defensive line, not only for this year, but at least the next two seasons.
Cowboys Put Kenny Clark on Notice with Quinnen Williams’ Trade
As mentioned above, the former Packers defender has struggled in his first year with Dallas, which is a symptom of a larger problem with that unit.
The Cowboys hoped that Clark and Osa Odighizuwa would lead the charge up the middle, but that hasn’t been the case, as Dallas is giving up 143 rushing yards per game (fourth-most in the league).
This season, Clark has racked up 21 combined tackles, 10 QB pressures, five quarterback hits, four tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks across nine games, which isn’t bad. However, when you look at his PFF grades, they leave much to be desired on the ground.
PFF Grades | Kenny Clark | Quinnen Williams |
|---|---|---|
Overall Defense | 62.2 | 79.7 |
Run Defense | 49.6 | 90.8 |
Tackling | 48.1 | 37.4 |
Pass Rush | 68.9 | 57.1 |
Meanwhile, Williams, who is younger than Clark, has tallied 32 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven QB pressures, three quarterback hits, and a sack this season.
As his PFF grades above indicate, Williams is having a down year as a pass rusher, which gives Clark an edge. But he’s a supreme upgrade over Clark in stopping the run, which the Cowboys will instantly take.
Clark’s play has slowly dipped as he’s gotten older, and Dallas feels as if they might as well strike the iron while it's hot to fix their defense. With Williams now in the fold, plus Odighizuwa locked in for the foreseeable future, Clark's tenure in Dallas could be in trouble.