GREEN BAY, Wis. – Kenny Clark doesn’t think the back injury that knocked him out of practice this week will jeopardize his chances of playing in the regular-season opener.
Then again, the Green Bay Packers’ first-round pick probably isn’t the best person to ask, considering he’s a rookie when it comes to injuries, too.
Clark dropped out of practice on Monday and after he could not suit up for Tuesday’s marathon practice of two hours and 42 minutes -- the longest of the summer -- he said it was the first time he’s missed a practice.
Ever.
In his entire football-playing life.
“Since elementary school, first time,” Clark said. “It’s difficult. Watching my teammates out there practicing, I just wanted to be out there. The first time I’ve ever missed a practice. It’s crazy. I was sitting there thinking about that, I was like, ‘Man, I’ve never missed a practice.’”
Packers first-round pick Kenny Clark is not in pads. https://t.co/LlZ8ktrLw6 pic.twitter.com/3wBRqUsEdo
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 23, 2016
Clark said he was scheduled to undergo further tests on his back and did not rule out the possibility of playing in Friday’s preseason game at San Francisco.
“It’s just been bothering me a little bit,” Clark said. “I don’t know the specifics of it yet. It’s just something that’s been bothering me a little bit, but I’ll be fine.
"I’ll be ready [for Week 1]. I’ll definitely be ready. ... We’ve got [two-and-a-half] weeks until that time, so I’m not worried about it."
Clark flashed early in camp, especially in the one-on-one pass rushing drills. He’s played 39 preseason snaps in the first two games combined and registered one tackle in each game. He didn’t start either game. Instead, the Packers have preferred using veteran Letroy Guion at nose tackle in the base defense with Mike Daniels and rookie Dean Lowry on either side, leaving Clark to come in with the second unit at nose.
The plan, however, was to get Clark more work this week until his back flared up.
“Kenny’s getting better and better each game,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said earlier this week. “I think he played, what, 13-16 reps the first game and got up above the 20s. Hopefully get him more time this week ... But I think Kenny’s definitely progressing, and I like what I see.”
