GS. BOMBSHELL: A Cowboys’ 3-Time Pro Bowler Is Now on the Brink of an Unthinkable Exit, and the Timing Is a Catastrophe -Before Week 11
In a season already defined by chaos and controversy, the Dallas Cowboys are staring down the barrel of yet another gut-wrenching decision that could unravel their defensive resurgence. Just as the “Doomsday Defense” appeared to be gelling into a formidable force—bolstered by a pair of high-profile trades—the whispers have turned into a roar: three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark is teetering on the edge of an exit that no one in Big D saw coming. And with Week 11 looming against a playoff-hungry Philadelphia Eagles squad, the timing couldn’t be more disastrous.
It all started back in the sweltering haze of preseason, when Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones pulled the trigger on a move that sent shockwaves through the NFL. In a blockbuster deal with the Green Bay Packers, Dallas shipped out superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons—the heart and soul of their pass rush—for a haul that included two first-round draft picks and none other than Clark himself. Parsons, the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a perennial All-Pro, was the untouchable face of the franchise. Trading him away felt like selling the family silverware to buy a lottery ticket.
But Jones wasn’t done wheeling and dealing. Mere weeks later, he flipped one of those precious first-rounders (a 2027 selection), a 2026 second-rounder, and underperforming defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the New York Jets for another interior beast: Quinnen Williams. On paper, it was a masterstroke. The Cowboys’ defensive line suddenly looked like a murderers’ row—Clark’s run-stuffing prowess paired with Williams’ explosive interior pressure promised to turn Dallas into a trench warfare nightmare for opposing offenses.
Yet, in true Jerry Jones fashion, the moves have sown seeds of confusion and instability. With Williams now anchoring the middle, Clark’s role—and his future—has become the hottest topic in Dallas. The 29-year-old Wisconsin product, who spent nine dominant seasons tormenting quarterbacks in Green Bay, arrived in Dallas with sky-high expectations. But as the Cowboys’ 9-0 start has given way to a brutal three-game skid, questions about roster redundancy have bubbled to the surface.
“Popular opinion has pointed to Kenny Clark as the player most likely to lose long-term,” I argued earlier this week on Cowboys Wire. “Clark’s contract has an escape hatch after the season and would offer a smooth financial transition for the Cowboys.” It’s hard to dispute the logic. Clark’s three-year, $64 million extension—inked with Green Bay in 2023 and carrying over to Dallas—includes an out after 2025 that saves the Cowboys a whopping $18.5 million in dead cap space. In a league where salary cap gymnastics are as crucial as on-field execution, that’s the kind of escape clause that screams “trade bait” or “cap casualty.”
But hold the phone—Clark’s departure isn’t a done deal. His cap hits for 2026 ($21.5 million) and 2027 ($20 million) are steep but not insurmountable for a team that’s aggressively retooling. “Clark’s exodus should by no means be seen as a foregone conclusion,” I added. “If he can elevate his play alongside the rest of the defense, there’s no reason for the Cowboys to cut bait after the season.” After all, this is a veteran who’s started all nine games in Dallas this year, racking up 21 tackles (four for loss), five quarterback hits, and 2.5 sacks. Those aren’t world-beating numbers, but in a scheme that demands interior linemen to eat blocks and create lanes for the likes of DeMarcus Lawrence and newcomer Williams, Clark’s been a silent assassin.
A 10-year NFL veteran and three-time Pro Bowler (2019, 2021, 2023), Clark isn’t just a rental; he’s a proven commodity. His arrival was supposed to stabilize a defensive front that hemorrhaged talent last offseason. Instead, it’s morphed into a high-stakes game of musical chairs, with Jones’ itchy trigger finger leaving fans wondering who’s next to get the boot.
The real kicker? This speculation couldn’t hit at a worse moment. The Cowboys limp into Week 11 on the heels of a humiliating 28-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, their defense gashed for 187 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Micah Parsons’ absence is already a gaping wound—the Packers are 7-2 and leading the NFC North, with “Micah Magic” terrorizing NFC East rivals like the Giants. Now, with Clark’s future in limbo, Dallas faces a divisional bloodbath against the 6-3 Eagles, who boast Saquon Barkley churning out 100-yard games like clockwork.
Losing Clark now—or even the threat of it—could fracture the locker room at the most inopportune time. “It’s like Jerry’s playing fantasy football with our Super Bowl dreams,” vented an anonymous Cowboys defender to ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Kenny’s the glue. Without him, we’re back to square one, and this week’s the worst possible time to find that out.”
As the Cowboys faithful pack AT&T Stadium on Sunday, the air will be thick with uncertainty. Will Clark suit up with fire in his eyes, determined to prove his worth? Or will the trade rumors weigh him down, turning a potential bounce-back game into another defensive debacle? One thing’s clear: in Jones’ world of bold gambles, the house always wins—except when it doesn’t. And for Dallas, staring down an unthinkable exit for their grizzled Pro Bowler, the clock is ticking louder than ever.
