Frank Clark was obtained in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The previous season with Seattle, he had 13 Sacks and seemed to be an ascending player. Since 2018, Clark has not matched that total nor anything close to. In the 2019 Super Bowl run, Clark ended up with 8 sacks, followed in 2020 and 2021 6 and 4.5. Those are not the expected numbers of a top level DE. It should be observed that Clark’s sacks and pressures in 2019 were at the most opportune moments. If you look at just pressures and hurries, he is always a factor.
For a good look at Clark’s seven years of NFL Statistics, go to Pro Football Reference, Here: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ClarFr01.htm
Clark Finds Another Season’s Refuge
I chose the article photo because of the nature of the close sack and penalty. Clark just missed getting to Allen but it certainly was not a roughing the passer play. It was a horrible officiating call. During the game cast, both Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels made notice and weren’t holding back:
ACollinsworth: “That one is a stunner for me.” Then Al Michaels observed: “This crew is calling everything tonight.”
If Clark didn’t have bad luck, he wouldn’t have any luck at all. I recall the Super Bowl Win, and Clark caught on the mic saying “there’s blood in the water”. Since then though? Clarks production has been highly suspect. It is indicative of the pressure and hurries that Clark stacks up. One of the things Brett Veach did in 2021 was bring DT Jarran Reed to the team in the hopes of rekindling the pass rush and pocket collapsing the pair of defensive lineman brought to the table at Seattle. It didn’t work. I thought it was a good idea and that it would pay off but didn’t. Now Reed is gone and Frank Clark was looking at being cut unless he drastically reduced his salary which he did. Clark agreed to a renegotiated Annual of $13m cutting in half the monies that would have been due which was $26M+. As the 2021 Post season play ended vs. the Bengals, I wrote about cutting Clark and moving on. That new contract was at least palatable.
Frank Clark suffered from the ramifications of criminal weapons felonies in LA. He had two such legal encounters. I suspect that Clark’s mental state succumbed to the pressure and it affected his performance on the field. At the same time, Clark was suffering from a gastric-systemic ailment that had to have affected his play.
Still, I could see him being cut after June 1 if the Chiefs made another move. Sure, it would have cost cap space to the tune of about $8M. That didn’t occur and the reason is likely that Veach, Andy Reid, Steve Spagnuolo and newly hired DL coach Joe Cullen believed that it made sense to keep the anchor on the right. Cullen has had positive things to say about the DL mix on the 90-man Roster. I have to imagine that he foresees and improved output from Clark for 2022. But when you look at the numbers for 2019 overall, even his QB Hits was halved from 27 to 14. Not a good sign.
Despite the disappointing stats of Frank Clark in 2020 and 2021, I am convinced he is a player of value. He knows Spagnuolo’s playbook. He has experience with the players on the defensive line. Though the Chiefs did not opt to return Melvin Ingram for the upcoming season, they did opt to draft a DE in the first round of the 2022 draft bringing aboard George Karlaftis. In a season where a rookie is going to be starting opposite Clark, it doesn’t make sense to see Frank Clark depart at the same time.
High Expectations?
I do have higher expectations of Clark in his 4th season with the Chiefs. The four preceding seasons with Seattle, Clark was an integral part of the Legion of Doom, especially in 2017 and 2018. Clark’s legal problems are set aside for the time being which should take away the worry that he had to be experiencing due to that. His gastro-intestinal problems appear to be resolved. In the off season, Frank Clark has worked on strength training regimen and also has dropped weight. I suspect from looking at him he was playing at a game weight of approximately 270-275. His rookie playing weight was 260. I think these two factors will aid Clark in the upcoming season.
Considerations
Despite my view that we should see Clark return to a level of play that we have expected, I think other considerations need to be accounted for.
It is my view, that we will see the emerging talent of Josh Kaindoh and Malik Herring which should keep the pressure on Clark to perform. Mike Danna is a DE that will contribute but I do not see him as anything other than as a rotational player. Lastly, there is Austin Edwards and I haven’t seen enough of him to know anything. I mentioned the potential of Mike Rose but saw that as a hybrid type speciality. It may well be that the Chiefs are positing great hope on Josh Kaindoh or Malik Herring or both. Josh had 4 games in 2021 with 1 start. We didn’t see enough of him to know how to anticipate his advancement. Herring is similar and we have not seen him in camp or games since his college days.
Besides those players, I am going to state that I forecast that Brett Veach will make a defensive line acquisition once the Orlando Brown contract is on the books. There are still players available who could benefit the Chiefs at the DE position and I have posited the idea that Veach has, and will continue to pursue a trade with the Bears that is advantageous to both clubs.
New GM Ryan Poles(Former KC exec) could really use draft picks and perhaps a player at another position or three. A trade of Robert Quinn might still be possible. The Chiefs are very deep on the OL and at WR. Such a trade would benefit both clubs since Poles inherited a mess from the departing Ryan Pace who was fired as the Bears GM. HC Matt Nagy was also fired but returned to the Chiefs which was a fortunate part of that event. The Bears suffered a losing season for the first time in four years. Perhaps as Poles rebuilds the Bears, such a trade could be made. Poles has said Robert Quinn is not available for a trade but his 31 and his future is not a long-term situation for the Bears, or for that matter, the Chiefs. Poles would unload the financial commitment and obtain draft picks and perhaps a player in such a deal.
Let’s Say Quinn Is an Impossible Ideal
If that possibility won’t work out, I can see Veach adding two players to the DL – another DE and a tech-3 DT. There are a lot of combinations which could be considered.Who knows? I am sure that Brett Veach is on top of it. But I like the idea of trading for Quinn a lot. What I could see is that Clark and Karlaftis work the basic pairing but on passing downs Spags could turn to Quinn and move Karlaftis inside. Consider that Chris Jones is on the field at the same time would add a significant pocket collapsing pressure on those aerial downs. What I cannot see is betting the season on two quality but unproven DEs: Kaindoh and Herring. I would welcome Quinn(and others) “Big Time”. No matter what I cannot see Veach refraining from making an addition to the DL.
David Bell – ArrowheadOne