KC Chiefs: The pros and cons of keeping Frank Clark in 2022

The Cons of keeping Frank Clark for another season:

1. Cap Space

Of course, the biggest downfall of having Clark on the team next year has nothing to do with his ability to play. The biggest problem with Clark’s potential return is his enormous contract.

Currently, Clark is the 4th highest-paid defensive end in the NFL behind Myles Garrett, Leonard Williams, and DeMarcus Lawrence respectfully. There is no sugar-coating it, Clark’s production has simply not been top five at his position.

As much as I loathe boxscore analysis and not looking at players on a case-by-case basis, the statistics and eye test don’t lie. Frank Clark finished 2022 with 11 quarterback pressures, which was 50th in the NFL. This ended up being fewer than Charles Harris, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Jadeveon Clowney, who are all free agents this offseason. Among sack leaders, Clark finished with 4.5 sacks which tied him for 81st in the league. Of course, this does not speak to the overall impact Clark has on defense for the Chiefs.

The stats are not the greatest, but his ability to fill gaps, know his assignment, and play good run defense should not go unnoticed. Clark is undoubtedly good at what he is asked to do. He is not elite, however, as his contract would indicate.

According to Over the Cap, if Clark was released before June 1st, he would save the Chiefs about $12.7 million against the cap. If he is cut post-June 1st, $19.5 million. While fans are quick to point out that he may take a pay cut to stay in Kansas City, they are fooling themselves. It is extremely rare for a player to take a pay cut in the middle of a lucrative contract. The only way out would be to cut ties with Clark. Any other “money saver” is simply not realistic.

2. A chance that production could continue to decline

Clark is 28 and will be 29 when next season starts. While this is not usually an issue with pass rushers, Clark has not been trending in the right direction nor staying all that consistent. In fact, his numbers may show a downhill trend that could be Father Time telling him that his time to retire is approaching.

To contextualize, Clark has never played a full 16-game (or more) season with the Chiefs. To be fair, in 2020, this was because the Chiefs rested their starters in the final week of the season. While injuries are a natural part of playing in the NFL, in two of three seasons, missing games may be a trend. When you consider the types of injuries he has sustained, it does not make you feel any more confident that he will be able to complete a full season in a Chiefs uniform.

Clark has suffered a total of six injuries in his career. In 2019, Clark sustained a cervical neck strain. This can cause long-term discomfort in different regions of the upper body. He also sustained and muscle tear in his elbow when he was playing in Seattle. Finally, Clark has had four injuries to his hamstrings—three sprains and one strain. These have taken place at all different points of his career.

While injuries may not be the only blame for poor performances over the last three seasons, the decline appears to be a trend. This is not to say Clark couldn’t be great; rather, it is to show that he has not been. To show this, we will focus on sacks, tackles for a loss, and solo tackles. Again, box score analysis is not typically a great scale, but it can be used as a tool.

Sacks: 

• 2019: 8
• 2020: 6
• 2021: 4.5

Tackles for a loss:

• 2019: 12
• 2020: 8
• 2021: 4

Solo Tackles:

• 2019: 27
• 2020: 21
• 2021: 15

For those who have watched Clark closely, this should come as no surprise. He has not lived up to the expectations that he was brought in for. Although he has had good moments in Kansas City, there has been an undeniable downward trend. If the Chiefs retain Clark, there is a chance that it continues.

3. Off the field stuff

While I don’t want to write about everyone’s business, Clark has had some issues off the field, dating back to his time in Seattle. His issues then were more serious than they are now. Clark was involved in a domestic violence case in 2015. Now, Clark has gotten himself in another kind of trouble.

Clark was arrested twice last offseason for gun charges on separate occasions. He has since pleaded not guilty to these charges. This is not yet fully resolved.

Clark had largely stayed out of the headlines up to that point. While he may never have an issue off the field again, it is important to note that there has been a history there. This has not really affected his ability to play on the field, but it certainly could if it were to continue.