The Green Bay Packers have looked like a Super Bowl contender at times over the first four games of the season, and a big reason why is the addition of Micah Parsons. The trade to bring the All-Pro pass rusher to Green Bay has had a residual effect on defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s unit, giving the Packers a game-wrecker on the edge and getting the best out of players such as Devontae Wyatt and Lukas Van Ness.
While the Packers would make the Parsons’ trade 10 out of 10 times, it came with an unintended effect. Depth on the Packers' defensive line has become an issue, and it’s an even bigger concern on the interior. With Kenny Clark heading to Dallas as part of the trade, it’s become a problem Green Bay has to address after the bye to make sure its Super Bowl dreams don’t evaporate in front of them.
Kenny Clark’s Departure Exposes Packers’ Depth at Defensive Tackle
We should start by saying that the benefits of the Parsons trade outweigh any issues it may have created. Parsons’s presence has had a tremendous impact on Wyatt, who has 13 quarterback pressures on 105 pass-rushing snaps (12.3% pressure rate) this season, according to Pro Football Focus, and Parsons even gave the former first-round pick a shoutout for his impact (h/t @mattschneidman) after last week’s tie with the Cowboys.
Unfortunately, Parsons’s encouraging quote exists because Wyatt got hurt and did not play in that game. A knee injury has Wyatt with “week-to-week” status going into the bye, and it’s uncertain when he will return. If Wyatt is out for an extended period of time, it could put Green Bay’s interior to the test and stretch out some of the rotational pieces.
The obvious spotlight will be shone on Karl Brooks, who jumped into the starting lineup when Clark was traded. While he has impressed with 11 pressures and a sack on 125 pass-rushing snaps (8.8% pressure rate), he’s also posted a 62.1 run defense grade despite tallying four run stops on the year.
Colby Wooden has also stepped up with six run stops, but the Packers haven’t gotten much from preseason standout Nazir Stackhouse, who has a 38.3 overall grade and two pressures on 23 pass-rushing snaps this season.
With the current group of Packers interior defenders, Clark would have made a nice addition, logging a 71.7 overall grade and 14 pressures on 112 pass-rushing snaps (12.5% pressure rate) with the Cowboys. Of course, this also comes with some hindsight as Clark posted a career-low 59.3 overall grade and had 33 pressures on 420 pass-rushing snaps (7.8% pressure rate) during his final season in Green Bay.
While Clark is thriving in Dallas, the Packers have to find a way to move on without him. They’ve done that in a way, posting a 2-1-1 record through their first four games. Still, it could open the door for another trade ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline.
Whether that leads to a deal for Tennessee Titans DT Jeffery Simmons or Harrison Phillips of the New York Jets remains to be seen, but it’s a reminder that even the great trades still have a price long after the transaction is made official.