The Seattle Seahawks could be on the verge of bringing back a familiar face, three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Frank Clark, following his recent release by the Denver Broncos. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reported that Clark will have an October 25, 2023, visit in Seattle and plans to sign with his former team barring a potential setback.
“Breaking: Free agent DE Frank Clark just told me he’s flying in today for a visit with the Seahawks. If all goes well, he will sign with Seattle,” Anderson tweeted on October 25.
Clark signed a one-year, $5.4 million contract with the Broncos this past offseason, briefly reuniting him with former Seahawks teammate Russell Wilson. The rebuilding Broncos released Clark on October 13, allowing him to once again become a free agent.
NFL rumors had previously linked Clark to the Chiefs following his release, but all signs point to him returning to the Pacific Northwest.
Former Seattle Seahawks Pass Rusher Signed a 5-Year, $104 Million Contract With the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019
Clark signed a five-year, $105 million contract with the Chiefs in 2019. During this deal, Clark made three straight Pro Bowls in Kansas City from 2019 to 2021.
The former Pro Bowler ended up reworking his contract with Kansas City in 2022 inking a new two-year, $30.1 million deal. Seattle selected Clark in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft and the pass rusher spent his first four seasons with the Seahawks.
Seattle Seahawks Rumors: The Team Is Reuniting With Frank Clark After Trading the Pass Rusher in 2019
The front office opted to trade Clark to the Chiefs during the 2019 offseason in exchange for a 2019 first rounder, 2020 second-round pick and third-round pick swap. Seattle decided to deal Clark as the star was seeking a lucrative new contract extension. Clark still speaks positively about his time with the Seahawks despite the team’s decision to move on from the defender.
“I look back [as] it was a good time,” Clark told reporters on February 4, 2021. “Seattle, that’s where I got my start, my first taste of the NFL and like I said, it was a good time. Seattle, I always said, hats off to Pete Carroll, the staff up there, [general manager] John Schneider going ahead and drafting me. It gave me my first shot in the league, man and I can do nothing but be thankful for that.
“I have no feelings towards the trade. It’s a business, man. You got to understand that the older you get, the more you start to understand stuff. When you’re younger, you come in the league [and] things are unclear.
“They’re supposed to be unclear. That’s how it is until you get some experience, you learn, you talk to a few vets. You see things how they happen. Then you get a feel for it yourself, eventually, if you stay around long enough.”
How Much of an Impact Can Frank Clark Make for the Seattle Seahawks?
The major question is how much Clark has left in the tank as the pass rusher arrives in Seattle. Clark played in just two games for Denver this season notching 2 tackles prior to his release.
The veteran made his presence felt in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run during the 2022 season. Clark posted 39 tackles, 13 quarterback hits, 8 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 15 starts during the team’s championship run. The good news is Clark is likely signing a bargain deal with Seattle with his days of landing a $100 million contract in the rearview mirror.
It remains to be seen if more Seahawks rumors will heat up as the team approaches the NFL trade deadline on October 31. The addition of Clark comes as the team is expected to be without Uchenna Nwosu for the remainder of the season.
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