Packers make right move to exercise Kenny Clark’s fifth-year option

The Green Bay Packers have exercised Kenny Clark’s fifth-year option.

Kenny Clark is quickly becoming one of the best young defensive tackles in all of football, and the Green Bay Packers have ensured he’ll be under contract through the 2020 season.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Packers have exercised his fifth-year option, which means he’ll become a free agent following the 2020 season rather than next offseason. Considering how important he is to the Packers’ defense, this had to be an easy decision for general manager Brian Gutekunst.

Clark is only 23 years old, and with each season is becoming a bigger difference maker on defense for the Packers. Over the past two seasons, he’s put up a combined 10.5 sacks after finishing his rookie year with zero. A career-high 6.5 sacks came last season despite the fact he missed three games to injury.

This additional year under contract gives the Packers longer time to negotiate a new long-term deal, something they should aim to do way before Clark becomes a free agent. The longer it goes, the harder it will be to re-sign him. If Clark continues to improve and a deal isn’t agreed ahead of the 2020 offseason, the Packers could have no choice but to use the franchise tag to keep him, like the Atlanta Falcons did with Grady Jarrett this year.

But that’s a discussion for some time down the road. For the next two years, Green Bay’s defense will feature a future All-Pro and Pro Bowler on the defensive live. And with Mike Daniels hitting free agency next offseason, keeping Clark in Green Bay becomes even more important.

With so much talent added to the front seven this offseason, don’t be surprised if Clark hits double-digit sacks for the first time of his career in 2019.

The good news for the Packers is that he’ll be on the team for at least two more seasons.