Five Chiefs who shouldn’t be back in 2023

Defensive end Frank Clark

The writing is on the wall for defensive end Frank Clark after this season. His contract makes it impossible for the Chiefs to retain him on his current contract.

The thing is, Clark was not terrible in 2022. He still turned in six sacks and 45 total pressures in a reduced role in Kansas City. PFF gave him a 67.2 overall grade in 2022, the best Clark has had in Kansas City. On top of that, Clark has been on an absolute tear this postseason.

He led the Chiefs with three postseason sacks, tied for the most among postseason teams. The playoffs bring out the best in Clark, and fans’ opinions of him changed drastically after another Super Bowl run. Coach Reid certainly supported the veteran ahead of 2022, but with a fair approach according to the Athletic’s Nate Taylor. While fans are worried about his on-field production, Reid guided Clark off the field.

"“I love (Reid) because of the man he is first, not the coach,” Clark said. “I’ve had a lot of conversations with him, just helping me become a better father, helping me understand life a little bit more, just sticking by me, understanding that guys do have some bad times, guys do (mess) up sometimes.”"

He has likely been a good veteran presence for the defensive end group, but his contract makes his return unlikely. Clark’s $31 million cap hit in 2023 would be the team’s second-highest, only to Mahomes’. Also, entering his age-30 season, Clark is not set for any sort of career resurgence. Clark has had his moments, and was a key player in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run. But, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach will have to work some contract magic for Clark to return.