Defensive end Frank “The Shark” Clark wanted to stay in Kansas City and has been very vocal about it.
In fact, the Kansas City Chiefs have reworked his current deal with the team, which is now two years and worth up to $36 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Coming from the Seattle Seahawks, Clark was traded to Kansas City in the 2019 offseason. Through his years with the Chiefs, Clark has had 18.5 sacks in 43 games in the regular and postseason. He is usually better during the postseason games, but he remains one of the most vocal players on the team.
Clark had 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 14 games for the Chiefs last season. Not his best season but he made it to the Pro Bowl anyway.
The Kansas City Chiefs and pass-rusher Frank Clark agreed to restructure his contract on Monday, and he should remain in Kansas City through the 2023 season, with an option to terminate the contract after this season.
He has been a great player for the Chiefs in the postseason, he’s the third all-time postseason sack leader in three seasons in Kansas City. He hasn’t been that great recently and has a possible federal gun charge which could end his tenure with Kansas City early.
Until now, the AFC West has been very active in recruiting this offseason, and so far the Chiefs have been relatively quiet. The Chiefs signed Justin Reid and JuJu Smith-Schuster, but have yet to make any big signings along the defensive line. Brett Veach has promised to rebuild the defensive line but has yet to sign a free agent while the other AFC West teams have loaded up.
In restructuring his contract the Chiefs won’t eat the $26.5M in his next two seasons, and it keeps a member of the Super Bowl LIV core. This moves creates cap space for the remainder of the offseason and spends a mere $1.2M against the cap instead of his $12 million due next week.
Regarding Clark, reports say that the Chiefs were thinking about either trading or cutting Clark if the restructure did not happen.
“Kansas City is home. I bought a house here. My daughter goes to school here. It’s home,” Clark said after the Chiefs lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC title game. “I want to be here for the future, for the rest of my career, but (as) you said, unfortunately, that’s the way business goes. Things don’t happen the way you want them to happen all the time.”
I guess Clark is happy now and he gets to stay where he wants.
