Could Kenny Clark be on the Cowboys chopping block this offseason?
Even after the Dallas Cowboys' move to trade for star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and the immediate three-game winning streak that followed, the organization knows that the defense still has gaping holes to fill before the 2026 season.
In order to make the necessary repairs, many expect that Dallas will have no choice but to move on from the high-priced defensive line trio of Williams, Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark, who Dallas acquire in the August trade involving Micah Parsons.
Clark is being considered the early favorite to land on the chopping block here. Williams offers the most star-power potential from his hefty trade deadline investment, and Odighizuwa is a home-grown captain who signed a four-year extension this past offseason.
Each lineman makes an average annual salary of over $20 million. Clark's deal, however, is much easier to escape as only $17.5 million is guaranteed and a potential out lends Dallas with no dead money in 2026, if the so chooses to go that route.
The salary analysts at Spotrac predict this is why the Cowboys will not retain Clark, as the cost of his services would be better spent at more crucial positions with less depth.
“I don’t think those players all need to remain [on the team] going forward,” Spotrac editor Mike Ginnitti said on “The Spotrac Podcast.”
“It’s nice to have the surplus - you certainly want the interior pressure, you certainly want to be able to stop the run. But they went big at it this year, and it was not successful," he adds. "It got better, it improved them. But I think they can draft and develop … quickly within that interior line and get themselves into a situation where they’re stable and they’re cost-controlled at the same time."
Ginnitti might have forgotten how the career of Mazi Smith - the last defensive tackle Dallas drafted high with hopes of stopping the run - panned out. And while the Cowboys have generally drafted well over the last decades, the past few handfuls of top draft picks have been hit or miss.
The pairing of Williams, Odighizuwa and Clark had it's promising showings in the back half of the schedule stopping the run, but the pass defense was so bad that Dallas hardly budged from the bottom of NFL rankings in points (32nd) and yards allowed (30th) in total. That level of woe warrants no other choice but to use premium draft capital on secondary help. You would think.
"So what happens to Kenny Clark? There’s not a guarantee," Ginnitti says. "So you can just move on and free up $21.5 million—there’s a huge roster bonus in March, $11 million. This is going to be a March situation."
At the very least, some type of restructure needs to take place, and Clark's non-guaranteed contract best fits that plan.
Before we get to free agency, Dallas is preparing for a Week 18 finale at the New York Giants. Co-owner and COO Stephen Jones reiterated this week that Dallas does intend to keep the trio of pricey lineman when that time comes - regardless of contradicting predictions.
“Kenny Clark has just been more than advertised for us,” Jones said. “He’s a leader. He’s great on the field. And he’s great off the field. He’s a guy we want to have around here.”
So, too, are guys like Javonte Williams, George Pickens and Brandon Aubrey, who will all be in-need of contract extensions as valuable pieces like Clark. Then there are the situations at cornerback, linebacker and safety that fill out the majority of the defense with bold question marks.
As Stephen's father, Jerry, often says, it's all a part of the salary cap pie. At the moment, Clark is due a slice as his current contract doesn't expire until 2028.
In talking about what can be done elsewhere, Clark spoke with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the type of player his defense needs. He also explained that he's looking forward to a full offseason and training-camp program with the Cowboys, citing how that continuity will improve on-field performance and lead to more wins.
“I just think we need a bunch of dogs,” he says. “A bunch of guys who truly love and care about football and not just going on the football field expecting to make plays. Going home and doing the right things, all the small things all the time.
"We all know this. It’s not like a big talent gap between this team and the next team. It’s just all the little things. The teams that can do all the little things all the time are usually the most successful teams.”
Off the field, Clark feels like he's settled in. If the Joneses are adamant about keeping him, it sounds like he'll be cordial in getting something set up to make that happen.
“It’s been great,” Clark says about his time in Dallas. “I definitely want to win more, but I love it here. Love the team, love the organization. They’ve been welcoming. I’m just thankful for the opportunity. ... I’m back home now. I’m settled, and everything is good. The guys are what make it feel like home.”