GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Maybe the Green Bay Packers would have drafted Kenny Clark with the 27th overall pick anyway, but the selection almost certainly was driven by B.J. Raji’s unexpected decision to walk away from football in 2016 -- and perhaps forever.
The Packers had already re-signed Letroy Guion and had an offer on the table to Raji. With both of them back, general manager Ted Thompson likely would have turned his attention elsewhere.
Instead, Raji’s hiatus left a gaping hole in the middle of the defense that had to be addressed in a big way.