When you get the chance to acquire a generational talent in the NFL, especially one who nobody could have genuinely thought would be available, you do whatever you have to do to make it happen. So, when the Green Bay Packers found themselves in position to engage in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to acquire Micah Parsons, they did what they had to do to make it happen.
And that meant not only sending a pair of first-round draft picks to America's Team but also parting ways with the franchise's longest-tenured player, that, of course, being defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who was apparently an absolute necessity for Jerry Jones to agree to send Parsons to northeast Wisconsin.
And why wouldn't he have been? For nine years, Clark, a first-round pick of the Packers in 2016, was one of the most consistent and reliable DTs in the game, not only earning three Pro Bowl selections but also the respect of every coach he played for, every teammate he played with, and every opponent he played against.
While most eyes will be on Parsons this Sunday night as he faces the Cowboys for the first time, it's gotten a little lost that Clark will be lining up against the Packers for the first time as well. One person who hasn't lost sight of that fact, however, is Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur, who knows exactly what he's up against.
"He's going to be a handful," LaFleur told the media earlier this week. "Like I would expect, like he did when he was here. So, yeah, he's going to be a handful."
Former Packer Kenny Clark has been one of the lone bright spots for the Dallas defense
LaFleur is certainly spot-on in his assessment. While the Dallas defense as a whole has been one of the worst in the entire league through the first three weeks of the season, Clark has been one of the few positives.
With one of the Cowboys' three sacks on the year, nine total pressures, eight hurries, four stops, and 10 total tackles, the soon-to-be 30-year-old's 73.7 overall PFF grade ranks third among all Dallas defensive players behind only Osa Odighizuwa (77.5) and Dante Fowler Jr. (75.0), and 22nd among all interior defensive linemen in the league.
So, Clark could undoubtedly be trouble for a Green Bay offensive line that will be without the services of right tackle Zach Tom, left guard Aaron Banks, and tackle Anthony Belton. But we'll just have to wait and see how things play out.
However things unfold, seeing Clark, who has been downplaying the matchup, on the other side of the line will undoubtedly be a bit strange for Packers fans everywhere. And, of course, for LaFleur. But that doesn't change how LaFleur feels about his former defensive star, both as a player and as a person.
"There's a reason he got a third contract, because not many guys do," LaFleur said. "You have to play to a certain level, which he certainly has, but you also have to be a certain type of guy. Kenny is a pro's pro. I have as much respect as anybody I've been around in this game in terms of his approach, his team-first mentality, his willingness to help others and brings guys along.
"He wasn't always the most vocal, but when he talked, everybody listened, and they listened for a reason. Because everyone respected what he did."
Kickoff for this highly anticipated matchup between the Packers and Cowboys is set for 8:20 p.m. Eastern on Sunday night.