KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs on Tuesday completed a rebuild of their pass rush this offseason with the addition of defensive end Frank Clark in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a package of draft picks, a source confirmed to Chiefs Digest.
The Chiefs will send their first-round pick (No. 29 overall) along with a second-round selection (No. 63 overall, received from the Los Angeles Rams for Marcus Peters) in exchange for Clark. The Chiefs will retain their own second-round selection (No. 61 overall). The clubs will also exchange third-round picks this year, with Kansas City picking up the No. 84 overall selection and Seattle moving to No. 92.
The Chiefs also reached terms on a contract extension with Clark, who reportedly sough a deal similar to the contract recently signed by DeMarcus Lawrence with the Dallas Cowboys, a five-year deal that included $65 million guaranteed. Clark's new five-year, $105.5 million contract includes $63.5 million in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The Seahawks in March designated Clark with the franchise tag, which would have paid him $17.128 million during the upcoming season. But Clark indicated a reluctance to play under the tag and insisted on a long-term deal. The NFL Network reported in March Clark did not intended to sign his franchise ender or attend training camp unless Seattle re-signed him to a long-term extension.
The 25-year-old Clark doesn't arrive in Kansas City without baggage, however. He was suspended during his sophomore season at Michigan in 2012 after he was charged with second-degree home invasion connected with the alleged theft of a laptop computer from a dorm room. He pleaded guilty in September 20120 and received one year of a probation and a fine of $1,741.
Ohio authorities arrested Clark on domestic violence charges in November 2014, which led to his dismissal from the Michigan during his senior season. In April 2015 Clark reached a plea agreement reducing the charge to disorderly conduct. He was ordered to pay a $350 fine and sentenced to three days in jail with credit for time already served. Clark also completed counseling as required by the court.
His checkered past will certainly raise questions in Kansas City. The Chiefs released running back Kareem Hunt last November hours after a security video posted online showed him in an alleged altercation with a woman in a Cleveland hotel room. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill recently appeared in family court related to an allegation of suspected child abuse at his residence.
On the football field, the Chiefs cleaned house in their pass rush this offseason as they transition to a 4-3 defensive scheme under Spagnuolo. The Chiefs released veteran Justin Houston, absorbing a $7.1 million cap charge this season.
The club also dealt linebacker Dee Ford to the San Francisco 49ers, receiving a 2020 second-round selection in return.
Kansas City hopes in Clark it has found the edge rusher ideally suited for its new defensive scheme. The 6-3, 265-pound Clark played defensive end in Seattle's 4-3 front the past four seasons, picking up a career-high 13 sacks last season. He has 35 sacks in his career spanning 62 games and 33 starts for the Seahawks.
Pro Football Focus ranked Clark as its No. 18 overall edge rusher in 2018. He graded out No. 20 in pass rushing and No. 42 against the run.
The deal now leaves the Chiefs without a first-round selection in this year's draft starting Thursday night. The Chiefs still have seven selections remaining: two second-round choices, No. 61 and No. 63 overall; a third-round pick, No. 92; a fifth-round choice, No. 167; two sixth-round selections, No. 201 and No. 214; and a seventh-round choice, No. 216.
