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Three teams are lining up to try and work out a trade for Seahawks defensive lineman Frank Clark, but who will present the best offer?
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark has not signed his franchise tender yet, with a threat to hold out into training camp if a long-term deal isn’t reached. Trade rumors regarding Clark have ebbed and flowed in recent weeks, but things are ramping up heading into the start of the draft on Thursday night.
Connor Hughes of The Athletic reports the New York Jets are interested in Clark but says the Kansas City Chiefs are “most likely” to iron out a deal. With $26.4 million available to spend (via Over The Cap), the Jets have the cap space to take on Clark’s $17.168 million franchise tender. But Hughes reports the Seahawks want the No. 3 overall pick and the Jets won’t give that pick up.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added the Indianapolis Colts to the list of prominent suitors for the Seahawks’ edge rusher, with a trade possible before Thursday night. The Buffalo Bills have also been a rumored suitor for Clark, but they seem to have fallen back a bit.
After a conservative run in free agency, the Colts have the most cap space in the league by a substantial margin ($59.5 million). They moved to address their need for an edge rusher by signing Justin Houston, but Clark would be a worthy addition and the No. 26 overall pick in Thursday night’s first round might be a good starting point for a trade.
After cutting Houston and tagging and trading Dee Ford, the Chiefs have a need for an edge rusher. Peter King, via his Football Morning In America column/mock draft this week, projected the Chiefs to trade the 29th and 63rd overall picks to Seattle for Clark. Albert Breer of SI.com has pointed to the Chiefs as a team to watch on Clark.
Clark has a guilty plea on a domestic violence arrest in his past, which may be a concern for the Chiefs in the wake of incidents around Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill. But a dire need for a pass rusher may trump that in the pecking order of concerns, and when the Chiefs go on the clock Thursday night the urgency to make a deal for Clark will become real if it hasn’t been done already.