Lions sign former Ravens and Jets starting safety, what this signing likely means, and what it doesn’t likely mean
The Lions get a safety with a lot of experience, but that doesn’t mean he’s here to take Kerby Joseph’s place
The Lions are not done in free agency just yet. On Tuesday, they added another player to their defense.
Lions sign veteran safety Chuck Clark
This will be season nine for Clark. He’s spent most of his career in the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens drafted him in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and he was their starting safety for four seasons until they traded him to the Jets for a seventh-round pick.
He tore his ACL in camp during the first season with the Jets and missed the entire 2023 season. In 2024, he started all 12 games he played for New York. In 2025, he came off the bench for the Steelers, but did start five games.
Clark has been very good at stopping the run during his eight-year career. His 83.1 run defense grade was seventh among all safeties in the NFL in 2025. His coverage grades have been lower, but not horrible.
Clark also has some pass-rush ability if the Lions are looking to get back to where they were when they were running a healthy amount of safety blitz with Ifeatu Melifonwu. Clark gives them that option.
So, where does Clark fit in? He’s likely the Lions’ new Avonte Maddox. Their backup safety who can compete with Thomas Harper to play in Brian Brnach’s role while they wait for him to get back. He does have plenty of starting experience. I know most fans will see this as some sort of signing that means Kerby Joseph might not come back, but his play more resembles Branch’s than it does Josephs.
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