There was a time when Frank Clark was one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. The two-time Super Bowl champion and three-time Pro Bowler is still just 29 years old and should have plenty to offer a team looking for more of a pass-rush boost out of their defense.
Yet, Clark, after playing four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, was let go back in March in an attempt to cut costs this offseason. He’s yet to latch on with a new team and remains one of the best defensive free agents available after the NFL draft.
While Clark’s sack production has dipped in the past few years, he was just a Pro Bowler in 2021. How much could he have dropped off in just one year, if at all? As a player with 58.5 career sacks, there’s no question the eight-year pro knows a thing or two about generating pressure.
Below, we get into three ideal NFL fits for Frank Clark now that the NFL draft has concludes, giving teams a clearer picture of their strengths and weaknesses.
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Chicago Bears add experienced sack artist with Frank Clark
Head coach Matt Eberflus is looking for a giant Bear-sized leap from his defense in 2023 after allowing the most points per game in 2022. To do so, Chicago will need much better production out of their front seven.
Several offseason additions, such as reinforcing the linebacker corps should help, but after the Bears finished with a league-worst 20 sacks last season, they should be concerned about creating pressure. Especially considering not a single one of their players had more than four sacks last year.
- Frank Clark’s stats last season: 39 tackles (8 TFL), five sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD
That’s where Frank Clark can make an immediate impact, where he’d immediately be the best pass-rusher in Chicago. While Clark only racked up five sacks in 15 games for the Chiefs last year, he’d be an improvement over the young, unproven options on hand in Chi-Town.
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Cleveland Browns get Myles Garrett more help
Despite boasting arguably the best edge rusher in football, the Cleveland Browns haven’t been able to generate a consistent amount of pressure. They finished with the fifth-fewest sacks a season ago, combined with the sixth-lowest pressure rate. That’s not expected when Myles Garrett is striking fear into opponents on a weekly basis.
The Browns may feel they’ve already made some moves to improve their pass rush this offseason, adding Dalvin Tomlinson to the middle, but a team can never have too many players capable of disrupting the pocket.
Clark is a well-versed edge rusher who, if added to the Browns, would present opponents with a pick-your-poison scenario, trying to decide who to double and who to gamble on with single coverage. Chances are, Garrett gets double-teamed almost every time, but if Clark and Tomlinson can create havoc individually, teams may have to think twice about their game plan before taking on Cleveland in 2023.
Aaron Donald teams up with Frank Clark in LA
Just two years after winning the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams are already a shell of their former selves. But many of the key components remain in place, such as coach Sean McVay, receiver Cooper Kupp, and team MVP Aaron Donald.
Expectations for the Rams are quite low entering the season, but we have a hard time imagining this core who recently tasted success at the highest level will settle for being mediocre. One way the Rams may be able to ensure their defense doesn’t get rolled over each and every week is by adding to a group of unknown pass-rushers.
While it’s true that the Rams need to see what they have in their trio of outside linebackers drafted between rounds three and six this past April, having a proven veteran who can show these first-year-pros the tricks of the trade isn’t the worst idea in the world. Who knows? Maybe Clark can settle into Los Angeles, right back in the same division he started his career with, only this time, he’ll get to take on the Seattle Seahawks twice per year instead of suiting up for the 12th Man.
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