The Kansas City Chiefs were primarily focused on adding Frank Clark all along this offseason as they made other roster moves.
Brett Veach was zeroed in, once again.
The Kansas City Chiefs general manager has become known for his laser-like focus on particular players. When he becomes hooked on acquiring a player, he’s developed a reputation for eventually getting them on his roster. From trading up for Patrick Mahomes or eventually signing Sammy Watkins one year after a trade did not work, Veach typically find a way to make it work.
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This offseason, his target was Frank Clark. Earlier this week, the Chiefs sent a first round pick and a 2020 second round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the rights to Clark, who had been given the franchise tag at the time. Clark was immediately given a five-year extension by the Chiefs worth $105 million. Not only did the Chiefs pay significantly with draft assets but they also paid through the nose for their new acquisition.
For Veach, the cost was worth it in the end and was a part of the entire offseason of maneuvering. In fact, Veach says he was thinking of Clark even as he was releasing Houston and trading Dee Ford. It was all about building the financial space and grabbing enough draft capital to make a deal work.
“When this process started and we made the moves that we did and we moved on from obviously Justin and Dee , this was the plan. Our plan was to try to get Frank Clark. I told the guys, ‘Look, I don’t know if we’re going to be able to get him. If Seattle doesn’t tag him, he’s gonna cost a lot of money. If they do tag him, we’re goin to have to have some equity to get him.’ So this was our plan all along. This was our target. As you guys know, I’m rather persistent and when we find someone we like, we find a way to go get him.”
For the Chiefs, this offseason has been all about a defensive overhaul under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Tyrann Mathieu has been brought in to provide leadership in the secondary as a free agent. Other players have also been brought in, but for Veach, the primary focus was about bringing in the anchor pass rusher for Spags’ defensive front.
The press conference for Clark helps inform much about the Chiefs offseason in how and why certain moves were allowed to take place. Questions have been asked about creating a void only to have to pay so much to fill it, but if Clark has been the goal all along, then it makes sense to have to say no to some other options—even quality ones or cheaper ones—in order to arrive at the prize. Whether Veach’s intensity and aggression are good assets or need to be balanced remains to be seen, but at the very least, the Chiefs have their prize.
Clark is the anchor and Veach believes he’s added a Mahomes-esque sort of contributor on the defensive side of the ball.
“Trades in the NFL happen all the time, but a trade of this magnitude is not done unless it’s for an elite player. Certainly Frank is an elite player. Over the last four years, he’s proven to be one of the very best pass rushers in the NFL, a great run defender, and overall just a disruptive player.”
Here’s hoping Veach is right and that the general manager will enjoy the last laugh for any doubters in the end.