NFL analyst believes Chiefs Pro Bowler should be released soon
The Kansas City Chiefs will have some intriguing decisions this off-season. The most important one may be what to do with edge rusher Frank Clark. Clark has made three Pro Bowls in his time in KC. That being said, inconsistencies have riddled his time with the Chiefs over the past couple of seasons. The veteran's […]
The Kansas City Chiefs will have some intriguing decisions this off-season. The most important one may be what to do with edge rusher Frank Clark.
Clark has made three Pro Bowls in his time in KC. That being said, inconsistencies have riddled his time with the Chiefs over the past couple of seasons.
The veteran's pass rush numbers have taken a bit of a tumble, but he's performed much better in the postseason. He's been an important part of their playoff runs, including this past season's Super Bowl win.
Regardless, his cap hit is hefty, and his value may not carry that sort of weight on the Chiefs defense any longer.
Cynthia Frelund of NFL Network explained why the Chiefs may need to move on from the former Pro Bowler.
Despite making three Pro Bowls in his four seasons with Kansas City, Clark hasn't posted double-digit sacks since 2018, his last season in Seattle.
Next Gen Stats charted him with an underwhelming 1.2 percent sack rate in each of the past two seasons. To be fair, the amount of attention he and Chris Jones both command doesn't always translate to raw statistics — yes, even those from NGS. That said, Clark has two big things working against him…
First, Clark's cap number is skyrocketing, from $13.3 million in 2022 to $28.7 million this year. The Chiefs can save $21 million in cap space by releasing the soon-to-be 30-year-old.
Secondly, Jones is heading into the final season of his contract. And seeing how he just established himself as a top-tier Defensive Player of the Year candidate — racking up 15.5 sacks and a healthy 2.9 percent sack percentage — Kansas City must prioritize extending the 6-foot-6, 310-pound game wrecker.
The numbers clearly back up a decision to cut Clark if KC believes that to be on the table.
Frelund also mentioned that a whopping nine rookies contributed to the Super Bowl win for the Chiefs, so the young talent can step up going forward.
The situation is certainly worth monitoring for Chiefs fans. Saving $21 million in cap space could give the Chiefs breathing room to be able to add depth to one of the top rosters in the league.
Other moves will need to be made, but cutting Clark would be the biggest domino to fall.
Featured Image via USA TODAY-Sports
