NT Kenny Clark, Packers Optimistic About an Imminent Return
If all of the cards fall in their favor, the Green Bay Packers may be able to have nose tackle Kenny Clark back in time for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Clark returned to practice in limited fashion on Wednesday, giving the team a sense of optimism that he'll potentially be available for the first time since suffering a high-ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of the week 11 shutout loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
"I want to," Clark said of the likelihood he plays against the Buccaneers. "It just all depends on how my ankle heals, what the doctors think, what the coaches think after viewing me in practice and how I feel. I'm optimistic about it, my body's been healing fast, too. I just got to keep on going with the same process."
The first-round pick from the 2016 NFL Draft was in the midst of a stellar second season before he was rolled up on by Ravens center Ryan Jensen late in the aforementioned meeting with Baltimore.
Jensen, who seems to have a reputation amongst many players as "dirty," was adamant that there were no ill feelings towards Clark. Several Packers players also chimed in, including safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who called Jensen "trash" following the loss.
According to several reports, Jensen reached out to Clark personally via text and apologized.
"I sent out a text to [Kenny] Clark to see how he was doing and to make sure he was good and to see if there was anything I could do for him," Jensen said last Friday, according to Edward Lee of The Baltimore Sun. "He texted me back and said he respected me reaching out to him. He realizes I wasn't trying to do anything dirty or something like that."
Clark was one of the Packers' premier run defenders through the first 10 weeks of the season, creating one of the best defensive line pairings between him and defensive tackle Mike Daniels in the NFL. Or, one of the most underrated.
While Clark dodged a rather sizable bullet given the nature and appearance of his initial injury, the Packers haven't too great of luck with high-ankle sprains in recent years. They all offer different packages in terms of severity, however, it's certainly a dreaded hindrance for an athlete to deal with.
Packers NT Kenny Clark [97] didn't miss a single game in his young NFL career until Sunday, but he returned to practice with the team on Wednesday for the first time since suffering his high-ankle sprain. (Appleton Post-Crescent/USA TODAY Sports)
Earlier this season, right tackle Bryan Bulaga played through a high ankle sprain suffered in August that caused him to miss three of the first four games on the Packers' schedule.
During his tenure in Green Bay, tight end Jared Cook missed five weeks of the 2016 regular season with what was diagnosed as a high-ankle sprain in week 3 against the Detroit Lions.
In 2015, running back-turned-wide receiver Ty Montgomery suffered a high-ankle sprain in the week 6 win against the San Diego Chargers, causing him to miss the rest of his rookie campaign. He would later require surgery over the offseason.
Luckily, it isn't looking like Clark will be sidelined for the same amount of time as either of those three players were with their respective sprains.
"I thought the season was over, man," Clark said of his initial reaction to the injury. "It was an unfortunate situation. It was ugly; ankle was swollen, I thought it was worse than what it was, honestly. I'm happy it was just an ankle sprain."
Clark was one of the prominent reasons why the Packers' run defense turned on a dominant upswing from weeks 9-11. In that span, they allowed just 2.33 yards per carry, according to NFL Network's Ben Fennell, which was second in the NFL. They were also third in the NFL in allowing 59.0 rushing yards per game, a testament to their interior defensive line being one of the bright spots of that defensive unit this season.
Prior to their week 12 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the most yards a running back had gained against the Packers' defense was 54. That changed when they stepped onto Heinz Field sans Clark, and as a result, Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell posted 95 yards -- the most by a running back on the Packers' schedule since the New Orleans Saints' Mark Ingram rushed for 105 in week 7.
The upcoming pair of games in which the Packers undoubtedly must win to stay alive in the playoff hunt would present an ideal time for Clark to contemplate rushing back into action too soon, despite the importance of the contests.
The Buccaneers are currently the 28th-ranked rushing offense, which may be enough reason to give Clark another week of rest to ensure he's ready for the Packers' week 14 opponent: the 17th-ranked Cleveland Browns.
"I just think it's important to see how much I improve, as far as practicing. Tomorrow [Thursday] will be more of getting after each other, where I'm actually playing blocks and stuff like that and really getting a feel of how my ankle feels playing the run.
"I think I felt really good today running around, doing the walkthrough and doing some stunts. Now, it's just taking that next step and seeing how it feels in similar live action."
__________________________
Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (44)
Lphill
November 30, 2017 at 05:54 am
At this point I would hate to see him return to soon and re injure the ankle , at least he is having a good season and looks promising for the future.
Razer
November 30, 2017 at 07:11 am
Kenny Clark is the kind of draft choice that I wished we were good at. If nothing else, TT could have rebuild both lines with studs like this and we would have great foundations for offense and defense. Missing on guys like Datone Jones, Worthy, Thornton and the like really stunted our growth.
Glad to hear Clark is not seriously injured. Hopefully, Dr. McKenzie doesn't rush him back like he did with Bennett :o)
Razer
November 30, 2017 at 07:18 am
I should add that I have hope Jason Spriggs might prove us all wrong. If he continues to develop as per the Pittsburgh game, we might have another trench piece.
stockholder
November 30, 2017 at 07:24 am
Missing on guys. The only guy I can complain about is thornton. He was never a 3rd round pick. He still went on to play for the LIons. Jones and worthy were wrecked by Capers. Jones should have never went to LB. Not to mention a ankle problem early. Worthy was hurt and still played on his bad knee. He never recovered. Raji was wrecked going to DE. Hawk was wrecked going to the ILB. Mathews? Well let's just say playing hurt never did these guys any good. Hopefully they won't make that same mistake with CLARK.
RCPackerFan
November 30, 2017 at 07:33 am
That does add some fuel to the fire of Capers playing players out of position.
rdent
November 30, 2017 at 11:16 am
Starting with Aaron Kampman looking back at Capers penchant for switching high draft pick D-Linemen to OLB one has to wonder what might have been if he would have left them to play the position that they were drafted for.
HankScorpio
November 30, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Kampman was a 6 yr DE for the Packers when Capers was hired. Switching him to OLB was the only move that could be made as they transitioned from 4-3 to 3-4 but he didn't want to make the switch.
That's not on Capers. It's just how things worked out. It was unfortunate because Kampman was a great player that I hated to see leave.
No doubt Capers needs to go. There is plenty of ammo without putting things on him that are not really his fault.
rdent
November 30, 2017 at 09:06 pm
In 2008, the starting 4 lineman were
Aaron Kampman. DE 6'3" 286
Ryan Pickett DT 6'2" 310
Johnny Jolly DT 6'3" 310
Mike Montgomery DE 6'5" 280
Starting LB's
Brady Poppinga
Nick Barnett
A.J. Hawk
2009 when Capers took over the Defense.
Cullen Jenkins DE 6'3" 290 (a 2003 UDFA DT)
Ryan Pickett NT 6'2" 310
Johnny Jolly DE 6'3" 310
Starting LB's
Aaron Kampman
Nick Barnett
A.J. Hawk
Clay Mathews
Suddenly Poppinga is not good enough for Capers so he switches Kampman, IMO, the best DE he had at that time to OLB and inserts Jenkins a DT with similar size to DE.
Kampman injures knee becomes free agent in 2010, signs with Jags. IMO there was no reason to push Poppinga out and make 2 position changes on that Defense. How is that NOT Capers fault?
HankScorpio
November 30, 2017 at 10:47 pm
I don't know where you got those numbers from but any suggestion that Kampman and Jenkins were similar size or similar style is wrong. Jenkins was an inside player. Kampman was an outside player. Jenkins was bigger, too. Kampman's NFL.com profiles lists him at 6'4", 260, Jenkins' profile list him at 6'2", 305. I don't ever take roster measurements as gospel but between the two set of numbers, NFL.com has got to be closer,
Here is a picture of them together. Jenkins is at a side angle but they sure don't look close to the same size to me.
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/51/files/2013/02/DSC_4675.jpg
In the 3-4, the outside rusher plays OLB and DE is considered an interior DL position. The DE position is very different between 3-4 and 4-3.
And so is the OLB position. Popinga was not "suddenly" incapable of fulfilling that outside pass rusher role. He wasn't a pass rusher. Kampman was. The minute Capers was hired, the speculation began whether Kampman could make the conversion from hand in the dirt to standing up. It was a risk McCarthy accepted. As it turns out, he could not and moved on.
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 08:27 am
Seems to me that these decisions ultimately led to a SB victory the following year (2010). I retrospect, I'd argue that was that a good reason to make changes.
HankScorpio
December 01, 2017 at 08:47 am
No doubt that were all the justified gas Capers takes now, he was a big part of that 2010 SB win. I think that justified sticking with him for a time after the defensive collapse in the follow up 15-1 season.
I hope MM comes around to seeing things differently this offseason.
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 09:07 am
Sorry...my comment was meant to go after rdent's
rdent
December 01, 2017 at 09:18 am
Dobber, sure that is true but point is Kampman was not on that team , so Capers switch was ineffective and meaningless.
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 10:08 am
What did the switch ultimately do?
Did it ruin Kampman's knee? Unlikely.
Did it lead Kampman to decide to find a 4-3 defense to try to play in when his contract expired after 2009? Very likely, Yes.
Did it play a major role in the Packers getting to and winning a SB? Very likely, Yes.
While aggregate stats don't often tell the whole story, the Packers were 20th in total defense in 2008, 2nd in total defense in 2009, and 5th in total defense in 2010. 2009 was their first season in the 3-4.
I guess you'll have to decide whether that makes the switch itself ineffective and meaningless.
rdent
December 01, 2017 at 11:20 am
Dobber this seems to have gone off the topic of Hanks original post that it wasn't Capers fault that Kampman was switched to OLB, if it wasn't on Capers then who made the switch? And obviously the Kampman switch really had little to no effect on the 2010 defense's rise since Kampman wasn't there. And as far as Mike Neal and Daytone Jones, you could also put that on TT for making a poor choice for drafting Mike Neal at no.2 and Daytone Jones at no.1 or for failing to address the OLB position.
rdent
December 01, 2017 at 10:34 am
I got my info from Pro football reference.com. but point is IMO the switch was a failure. Capers took a 30 year old DE and switched him to OLB who yielded. 3.5 sacks 11 games in before injuring his knee. Capers did this 3 more times with Defensive Ends and the only success he had with it was Julius Peppers and the only reason for that is Peppers is a freakish athlete. 1 out of 4. Not what I would call success. Face it, right from the start it was a Capers experiment and a failed experiment.
HankScorpio
December 01, 2017 at 11:23 am
This is obviously going nowhere so I'll take the common ground and duck out.
Peppers certainly was a freakish athlete and that definitely made the transition work. I think he was 34 when he switched (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Most guys are out of the league by then, not moving to a spot that requires learning new things and more athleticism than his previous position
WKUPackFan
December 01, 2017 at 05:49 am
Poppinga has never questioned anything about he was handled at GB. If you listen to his radio broadcast he had nothing but praise for MM, DC, and especially TT. And Brady is an excellent analyst.
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 08:21 am
Good to see you back, WKU.
HankScorpio
November 30, 2017 at 12:03 pm
I never bought into the notion that Raji went downhill because he moved off the nose. Pickett was a way better NT so he played there. That Raji couldn't play DE was on him. Raji was wrecked by his own lack of desire. He had all the talent in the world but just didn't want it bad enough.
I don't think Capers had much negative impact on Hawk, Worthy or Jones, either. Hawk was a decent but not great player. Worthy and Jones were bad picks. Thornton is on 3rd team since moving on, which makes him a borderline NFL player.
I think the best case for being miscast of the bunch you named is Matthews. I would argue he was never a dominant edge rusher but it's certainly the case that he hasn't been one for 3-4 years. His only double digit sack season since 2012 was the year he moved inside, a role that should have become permanent. I think the 2nd half of that season (With Matthews inside) was the longest stretch of decent defense we've seen in GB since the SB. It included holding Brady to 21 in showdown win over NE. Certainly that year was the closest they ever came to going back to the SB.
WKUPackFan
December 01, 2017 at 05:51 am
rdent dealing in fake facts, as usual.
rdent
December 01, 2017 at 10:48 am
SUKUPackFan Everything I wrote came from reputable websites. This is a Packer site not a Fox News site. Please keep " Trumptonian" references out of here.
RCPackerFan
November 30, 2017 at 07:35 am
I am just happy to see Clark able to practice again. Whether he is good enough to play is another thing, but the fact he is already practicing is a great sign. His injury definitely could have been a lot worse then it was.
Lphill
November 30, 2017 at 09:04 am
Like stockholder was pointing out, why do the Packers constantly draft players that play a certain position in college then move them to a different position , how about drafting a player to play the position they play in college , I don't think any other teams do this.
HankScorpio
November 30, 2017 at 11:29 am
It's not like the Packers are making wild transitions with players from their college positions to the pros. Defenders are not being moved to offense or vice versa. So a lot hinges on how you define a position. It is OL or LT, LG, RG, RT, OC? Do you call them DBs or CBs and Safeties? Are they edge rushers or 3-4 OLB or 4-3 DEs? Do you want to confine yourself to only draft defensive front 7 from colleges that play a 3-4?
College teams, like their NFL counterparts, will give their best players the most difficult assignment. The best OL play on the edge. The best DBs play CB. That doesn't necessarily mean that player is best suited that assignment at the NFL level. This effect is more pronounced for teams that are not at the elite edge of college football.
As for other NFL teams, I can tell you for sure that Buffalo took a CB from GB and turned him into a Safety (Hyde) and Carolina took a OLB and turned him into a DE (Peppers). I don't really chart the progress of all other 32 to monitor how they handle rounds 3-7 of the draft. But I imagine that other teams will take a college CB that is too slow to play there at the pro level with the idea they can be a Safety.
rdent
November 30, 2017 at 09:39 pm
Lphill, I have not seen any team or coaching staff that tinkers around with players like GB does on both sides of the ball. Injuries on the offensive side are somewhat understandable ( OL and RB) but right from the start in 2009 Capers started his failed experiment of moving players out of their natural position, Kampman, DE, Mike Neal 6'3 300 2nd rd DE, worked hard to drop to 260 to play OLB for Capers, was not resigned. Daytone Jones 6'5" 290 1st rd DE, with a bad ankle switched to OLB, was not resigned. Capers needs to go.
HankScorpio
November 30, 2017 at 10:58 pm
"Mike Neal 6'3 300 2nd rd DE, worked hard to drop to 260 to play OLB for Capers, was not resigned"
That's not exactly the entire story. Neal was a workout warrior that could not stay healthy at the 290 (ish) he carried from college to his early NFL years. They finally decided that dropping some weight would help him stay healthy. It worked. But it also meant he didn't have the bulk to play an interior DL position so they moved him to LB. They did re-sign him to a one year deal after his rookie contract expired. They did not re-sign him to another.
Jones flamed out in Minny and Detroit, too. So I'm not so sure Capers had much to do with him. He was just a bad player and blown pick.
WKUPackFan
December 01, 2017 at 06:00 am
Why does this red herring argument about switching positions continue to be propagated? Every NFL team converts DLs to OLBs. Every NFL team converts OTs to Gs and Cs. Every NFL team converts CBs to Ss. Honestly, can't you come up with an argument that isn't ten years old, in addition to being incorrect?
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 08:18 am
The bottom line is that college players can play analogous positions to many NFL positions at non-NFL ht/wt numbers because NFL talent is so spread out in the college game: they can get away with it.
Many of these guys naturally project to other positions because they possess attractive traits, just not at the position they played in college. The CB-S argument is a prime example. OL is another. It happens all the time...read the scouting reports: player X was decent at RT in college but lacks the athleticism/arm length/dance moves to contend with NFL DEs. Projects inside to G.
It happens...all...the...time.
rdent
November 30, 2017 at 11:04 am
I would hope GB does not rush Clark back on the field too soon. Like AR it would be foolish to risk further injury to a key player for a season that more than likely is lost.
Doug Niemczynski
November 30, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Has montravius Adams even played? He was supposed to be called The Beast seems like he's the least I mean it seems like with Mike Daniels Kenny Clark in montravius Adams if he's any good that seems like a pretty formidable front three does anybody know if montravius Adams is still hurt with that foot injury or what's going on with him cuz I don't know if I ever see him in the game I guess I may not be paying any attention I don't even know what number he is the number 90 is that Quinton Dial I don't know
dobber
November 30, 2017 at 12:19 pm
http://subscribers.footballguys.com/teams/teampage-gnb-6.php
15 snaps against the Steelers
Doug Niemczynski
November 30, 2017 at 12:20 pm
It also boggles my mind that if we had everybody healthy our front three would be Kenny Clark Mike Daniels montravius Adams are linebackers to be Nick Perry Blake as I said before if I was a defensive coordinator I would love to come into Green Bay with this Talent Martinez Clay Matthews and we probably might be able to slide Josh Jones in there instead of Jake Ryan we got Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Morgan Burnett and two good cornerbacks and Demaryius Randall and Kevin King with an experienced Devon House it seems like we only need two or three good real good players as either starters or substitutions I don't know this seems like an All-Star defense to me but I'm not seeing it so does anybody have any answers except for Dom Capers being the coordinator I just don't understand it if I was a new defensive coordinator I would love to come in to Green Bay with all this Talent every one of these players seems like possible potential pro bowlers I dont get it. Is the defense too complicated for these players do we need to dumb it down is there bad communication I don't understand it I just don't get it we can move Clay Matthews to inside linebacker get somebody on the edge it's alright just seems like just two players maybe I don't know good makeup unbelievable defense just to get a little more pass rush.
dobber
November 30, 2017 at 12:24 pm
. . , . , . ! ? , , . .
I found these just lying around. I think they might be yours.
Doug Niemczynski
November 30, 2017 at 04:38 pm
Funny. I am a English teacher.
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 08:23 am
Ooooh, the definition of irony! ;)
It is true, though, that the proliferation of phones and texting is good for the immediacy of communication but awful for the actual use of language.
TKWorldWide
December 01, 2017 at 10:24 am
sometimesifeellikeidonthaveapartnersometimesifeellikemyonlyfriendisthecityiliveinthecityofangellonelyasiamtogetherwecrygruntclickpoppingsoundratatattatareyoutryingtosaymybrillianceismisunderstoodgoodsaysiallthegreatoneswereaheadoftheirtimeimeanwhoneedsconventionswhenimkickingmyjuiceallupinherepluswhatsupwiththatcapersguyimeanallthosehighpicksbutnohighrankingsforthedefenseandbypicksimeandraftchoicesnotinterceptionsbutturnoversarehugeindeterminingwhowinsandlosesinthenflalsoilikecherryturnoversbestevenmorethanappleiknowappleisprettypopularitsalsohugeinthetechnologyworld
dobber
December 01, 2017 at 08:20 am
Don't just give it away, now...
TKWorldWide
December 01, 2017 at 10:22 am
You are on my wavelength, amigo.
billybobton
November 30, 2017 at 01:25 pm
I don't think it is expecting to much for packer fans to know something about their team and history.
Kampman was not JAG, he was dominant at DE in a 4-3. He did not want to move from the position where he was pro bowl and all pro much less learn a new position. But he was a team player. It ruined his career.
Peppers was ALL TIME dominant at DE in a 4-3 and our dipstick GM and DC moved him first to OLB and then to DT in a 2 man DL.
These are facts and show nothing more than the idiocy of our coaching staff at recognizing talent AND putting it in the correct position. How about Hyde being forced in CB when clearly he was a S, or even peppers back at DE?
Finally RAJI was not moved from NT because he was good at it, he was bad at it. He was moved so pickett could play NT because pickett would ACTUALLY play the position and be effective.
Saying Raji was 'better' at NT than at DE is like having greatest hits from garbage.
Raji was bad at NT (and everything else after his rookie year) and worse at DE. He was wasted space just like hawk before him, kept around and kept on the field due to draft status.
It is not co-incident that the DL went from weakest unit on the team to best on the D and maybe the team once his fat lazy butt left and took thousands of wasted snaps to his sofa.
dobber
November 30, 2017 at 02:00 pm
"Kampman was not JAG, he was dominant at DE in a 4-3. He did not want to move from the position where he was pro bowl and all pro much less learn a new position. But he was a team player. It ruined his career."
Kampman is one of my favorite Packers of all time. To say that the change in scheme ruined his career is misleading. He suffered a serious knee injury in 2009 and was never the same player after. It would be a reach to say he got hurt because of the scheme change. He did move to Jacksonville, but couldn't stay healthy.
Doug Niemczynski
November 30, 2017 at 04:43 pm
Kampman had an acl injury and was never the same.
Doug Niemczynski
November 30, 2017 at 04:43 pm
Or knee injury .
HankScorpio
November 30, 2017 at 04:31 pm
"Peppers was ALL TIME dominant at DE in a 4-3 and our dipstick GM and DC moved him first to OLB and then to DT in a 2 man DL."
Did you watch Peppers play OLB at all? I ask because most people that watched him play 3-4 OLB thought he was outstanding there. It's an edge rush position, just like he was used to playing in 4-3 defenses. Except on occasion he would drop into a zone, where his long wingspan was very disruptive on short passing.