FRISCO — Cowboys defensive tackle Kenny Clark has enjoyed his first season in Dallas. There’s one thing he would’ve changed, however.
“The only thing I wish is if the Packers were going to trade me, I wish I would’ve been traded earlier,” Clark said on Wednesday. “Just to have a full offseason with the guys, OTAs, training camp and set the standard.”
It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of doubt in Clark having that chance this offseason.
When the Cowboys acquired Clark and picks for pass rusher Micah Parsons, they did so with the hope that Clark, 30, could be a foundational piece on a defensive line they hoped to fortify. Since then, the Cowboys also added former All-Pro Quinnen Williams to go along with Osa Odighizuwa, whom they extended before the start of this past season.
Cowboys
There’s a lot of talent on the Cowboys’ defensive line. There’s also a lot of investment.
There is one way to reduce the investment on the interior defensive line for the Cowboys, though it would come at a cost. Clark’s cap hit was $2.3 million this season, according to Over The Cap. Next season, it jumps to $21.5 million. The following year, in the final year of his deal, it sits at $20 million.
The Cowboys wouldn’t be responsible for any dead money if they moved on from Clark after this season.
Early indications are that the Cowboys don’t want to pursue that off-ramp. Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) earlier this week that Clark has been better for them than they expected.
“He’s a leader. He’s great on the field. He’s great off the field,” Jones said. “He’s a guy we want to have around here.”
Clark echoed that sentiment. His arrival, exactly a week before the season began, was a whirlwind, he said. He had to learn his teammates, he had to learn his coaches, he had to move into a house, which he did by Week 2. Now he said he feels settled in Dallas.
“I love it here. I love the team. Love the organization. They’ve been welcoming and I just thank them for the opportunity: for believing in me and bringing me in here,” said Clark, who has three sacks and six tackles for loss. “It’s been good.”
Clark also sees optimism in the future of the Cowboys’ interior defensive line. If it was a quick, on-the-fly adjustment for him when he arrived in Dallas, then it certainly was for Williams, whom the Cowboys acquired at the deadline. He believes a full offseason of them together could establish a standard for the rest of the defense.
Speaking of the rest of the defense: Clark was asked on Wednesday what the team needs to add defensively moving forward.
“I just think we need a bunch of dogs. A bunch of guys that truly love and care about football and not just going out on the field and being expected to make plays.
“It’s not like a big talent gap between this team and the next team. It’s really just the little things, and the teams that can do all the little things right all the time are usually the most successful teams.”
Clark is hopeful he’s around to see that.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.