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Mike Macdonald is doing a fine job scheming up pressure for the Baltimore Ravens, but the defensive coordinator could use a proven pass-rusher. Fortunately, a two-time Super Bowl winner who can play on the edge and also slide inside is available.
The Ravens are an ideal fit for veteran Frank Clark, who was officially released by the Denver Broncos on Friday, October 13, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
While Schefter declared a return to the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom Clark won his two Super Bowls, as “the most likely scenario,” the 30-year-old should have no shortage of other suitors. The Ravens are among those who make the most sense as a landing spot, according to both CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin and Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network.
Benjamin noted how injuries should put Clark’s name on the Ravens’ mid-season shopping list: “Baltimore has never been shy about taking swings on veteran pass rushers to aid the rotation, and both Jadeveon Clowney and Odafe Oweh are banged up, with Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo also sidelined. In other words, the Ravens could use just about any edge reinforcements they can get.”
Robinson, writing when the Broncos appeared prepared to find a trade partner for Clark, believes the veteran could fit a trend of the Ravens finding success with experienced pass-rushers: “In recent years, Baltimore has gotten a lot of production out of veterans like Clowney, Justin Houston, and Pernell McPhee. Clark could become the most recent contributor to join that list.”
Signing Clark would give Macdonald a roving disruptor perfect for Baltimore’s hybrid defense. Clark’s presence would also let the Ravens win more one-on-one matchups up front.
Ravens Must Boost Pressure Rate
As Robinson pointed out, the Ravens have “the NFL’s fourth-worst pressure rate through four weeks, ahead of only the Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders.”
Injuries haven’t helped, but that ranking has to improve. It won’t if Macdonald is forced to continue relying on designer blitzes to put heat on quarterbacks.
Some of those designs are bearing fruit, like when former Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive back Arthur Maulet blitzed clean for a sack against his former team in Week 5.
The play worked, but as ESPN’s Jamison Hensley noted, it was “the 5th sack of the season by a blitzing Baltimore defensive back.” That’s a telling statistic about how the Ravens are struggling to generate pressure with their primary pass-rushers along the front seven.
It’s a problem Clark can help solve.
Veteran Would Transform Ravens’ Pass Rush
Winning one-on-one matchups is the key to a defense bringing the heat without the aid of the blitz. It’s something Clark has made a speciality during a nine-year NFL stint that began with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015.
He went on to help the Chiefs win a pair of Super Bowls by making plays this one against the Buffalo Bills last season, highlighted by Aaron Day of DLineVids.
Wins like this have been rare for the Ravens, although it hasn’t helped to lose second-year pro Ojabo to potentially season-ending ankle and knee injuries. Ojabo’s since revealed he hopes to return this season, per Ravens.com’s Clifton Brown, while head coach John Harbaugh revealed “Odafe Oweh is making good progress in return from high ankle sprain,” per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
The Ravens could get both of their young edge-rushers back, but there’s no substitute for the experience and proven track record boasted by Clark. He’d allow Macdonald to dial back the blitz and instead rely more on line stunts, like the one Spencer Shultz highlighted that helped Kyle Van Noy get home against the Steelers.
Van Noy is another Super Bowl-winning edge-rusher added by the Ravens since the season began. Pairing him with Clark would give Macdonald what he needs to trust his front four to swarm upon quarterbacks.
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