Getty Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and head coach Pete Carroll appear to have won the Russell Wilson trade.
No NFL team enjoys reunions more than the Seattle Seahawks which is prompting some speculation that the franchise could explore bringing back Kansas City free-agent pass rusher Frank Clark. The Seahawks selected Clark with the No. 63 overall pick in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, and the defender spent his first four seasons in Seattle before being traded to the Chiefs in 2019.
Clark went on to be selected to three straight Pro Bowls and play a key role in two Kansas City Super Bowl runs. With training camp fast approaching, Clark remains a free agent despite his impressive resume. Former NFL general manager Jeff Diamond believes the Seahawks are the best fit for Clark.
“Seattle has added Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed on the defensive line in free agency and drafted Derick Hall as a second-round edge player,” Diamond wrote on May 18, 2023 for the 33rd Team. “But Clark could play a role as the designated pass rusher from the edge.
“The Seahawks have $10.6 million of room, so they may have to structure a deal with voidable years to get a cap number that works. Such a deal could include big incentives if Clark exceeds five sacks in the regular season, then the incentives earned would come out of next year’s cap if it pushes the team over the cap this season. Clark could be the player who nudges the Seahawks past the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.”
Chiefs DE Frank Clark on Seahawks: ‘Nothing But Be Thankful’ Despite Being Traded
Could #Seahawks sign Frank Clark? Legend @bcondotta asked @TheRealFrankC_ about Hawks in 2021: “Hats off to Pete Carroll, the staff up there, John Schneider going ahead & drafting me. It gave me my 1st shot in the league. …Nothing but be thankful.” 🤔 #ChiefsKingdom #GoHawks
Seattle traded Clark to Kansas City during the 2019 offseason in exchange for a 2019 first rounder, 2020 second-round pick and third-round pick swap in 2019. Clark was seeking a lucrative new deal that was above what the Seahawks were willing to pay at the time. During a 2021 pre-Super Bowl press conference, Clark indicated he still had a “good time in Seattle” while not holding any negative feelings towards the Seahawks for the trade.
“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, 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.”
Seahawks Rumors: Could Seattle Pursue a Reunion With Frank Clark?
Frank Clark with the spin cycle to send the Chiefs to the Super Bowl 🌀🔥
(via @thecheckdown)
Clark has proved to be particularly lethal during the NFL postseason notching seven tackles, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in three playoff appearances last season, including the 2023 Super Bowl. The three-time Pro Bowler posted 39 tackles, 13 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss and five sacks during 15 starts in 2022.
Clark’s viability with the Seahawks likely depends on the money as Spotrac projects the pass rusher’s market value to be a two-year, $24.8 million deal. Given Clark remains unsigned, Seattle may be able to land the former Pro Bowler on a bit of a discount.
The Seahawks struggled to consistently get to the quarterback in 2022, but the team is hoping a revamped defensive line will change this reality in the fall. Yet, NFL teams can never have enough pass rushers and the addition of Clark would be a significant boost to the Seahawks rotation.