The Dallas Cowboys will be heading into the 2026 season with a revamped defense unit under defensive coordinator Christian Parker. This means new roles, and defensive tackle Kenny Clark is ready to be flexible and fill whatever role the defense requires in 2026.

During the recent Cowboys OTAs media session, Clark opened up about reprising the nose tackle position in Parker’s new 3-4 defense scheme, along with his suitability for ‘multiple’ positions.  

"I'm primarily a nose, but I'll be playing everything like I have through most of my career,” Clark said per X post of The Cowboys Network. “Three [technique], big-end, there's nothing I haven't played."

Clark played as a defensive tackle for the Cowboys in 2025 and recorded three sacks, 36 tackles (17 solo), six tackles for loss, 9 QB hits across 17 games played.

He played as a nose tackle primarily with the Green Bay Packers from 2016 through 2021, earning two Pro Bowl nods as well (in 2019 and 2021)

In between 2022 and 2024, he was used as a three-technique (over the guard’s outside shoulder) and four-technique (over the tackle), according to PackersNews.

The Cowboys acquired Kenny Clark along with two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) in exchange for trading linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in 2025.

The trade would eventually see him reunite (after Matt Eberflus' short stint ended) with DC Parker, who was previously the defensive quality control coach with the Packers from 2019 to 2020.

In the OTA media sessions, Clark also expressed confidence in the current defense unit.

“The attention to detail,” Clark said, per Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. “This defense is going to be huge on the details, huge on pre-snap and all that kind of stuff. We've got a lot of smart players on all three levels of the defense, and that'll be great for us."

While Clark appears comfortable moving across multiple positions in Parker's defense, one NFL analyst recently suggested that the 2026 season could be a make-or-break year for the veteran defensive tackle.

Analyst Says 2026 Could Be a Make-or-Break Season for Kenny Clark

Austen Bundy of FanSided picked Kenny Clark as the veteran player who will be facing pressure to perform and required to step up his game in the 2026 season.

Bundy believes that, as Clark 'severely underperformed' in his Cowboys debut, the Cowboys made necessary additions to assist Clark.

The team added former Packers Rashan Gary and drafted pass rusher Malachi Lawrence to boost depth in their defense.

"That's going to spread out the responsibility some, but as Clark enters the final year of his $64 million contract, he needs to approach, if not surpass, the 10-sack threshold to warrant an extension of any kind in Dallas," Bundy wrote.

Though the Cowboys have made additions to strengthen the pass-rusher unit and assist Clark, Bundy believes the veteran still needs to elevate his production to secure his future with the franchise.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote