49ers a Probable Landing Spot for $104 Million Pass Rusher: Report

Getty Frank Clark of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates during a big play.

The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs may become trade partners again, with this potential trade involving another pass-rushing star.

Back in 2019, the Niners traded a second-round pick for Chiefs star edge rusher Dee Ford after he put together a monstrous 2018 season. That trade hasn’t panned out especially well for San Francisco, as Ford has battled injuries and has appeared in a grand total of 17 games over three seasons.

Now, the 49ers are interested in Frank Clark, according to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler. Clark arrived in Kansas City shortly after Ford’s departure, signing a giant four-year, $104 million contract per Spotrac. With Clark now due $26.3 million in 2022, Fowler is reporting that the Chiefs are likely to cut or trade Clark.

“The expectation among many around league is Chiefs DE Frank Clark is traded, released or his contract is reworked,” Fowler wrote on Twitter. “His $26.3M cap hit a tough sell for KC. Watch for 49ers as potential new home.”

Clark has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his past three seasons, but his actual production versus his accolades and salary doesn’t seem to match up.

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Clark on the Chiefs

After totaling 32 sacks for the Seattle Seahawks in three seasons from 2016 through 2018, the Chiefs pulled out the checkbook and signed the former Michigan Wolverine. Initially, the investment seemed totally worth it.

After eight sacks in a 2019 season where he only started 11 games, Clark exploded in Kansas City’s Super Bowl run, racking up five sacks including one against San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV.

However, the production since has been mediocre at best while Clark’s salary cap hit has grown. Including playoff games, Clark has 13.5 sacks in 35 games over the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Over those two seasons, the 28-year-old edge rusher has accounted for $45.1 million in cap space hit. Edge rushers come at a premium, but Clark’s cap hit to sack rate comes out at an absurdly expensive $3.34 million per sack over that span.

To put that in perspective, Ford has 10.5 sacks as a 49er, and has accounted for $29.1 million in total cap hit over that time. That’s $2.773 million per sack, which is better than Clark despite his recent seasons being wrecked by injury.

Off-Field Issues Should Be Red Flag for 49ers

Besides lackluster production on the field, San Francisco and the rest of the NFL is no doubt accounting for the fact that Clark has had numerous off-field issues over the years, including two felony gun charges in 2021.

According to KMBC, the Chiefs star was arrested in Los Angeles on June 20, 2021 for felony firearm possession, and was released on bond the next day. Per the report, police found an Uzi sitting in the back area of Clark’s vehicle.

After that arrest surfaced, it turned out that he had been arrested on a similar charge a few months prior. According to KansasCity.com, Clark was charged with possession of a felony assault weapon in March.

Prior to the gun charges in 2021, Clark was arrested for domestic violence in 2014 but had domestic assault charges dropped. He was also arrested for a home-invasion in 2012.