Chiefs Defensive End Frank Clark Suspended Two Games
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark has been suspended for two games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN. The suspension stems from two illegal gun possession charges and arrests in March and June of 2021.
In September 2022, Clark plead no contest to two misdemeanor charges shortly before the start of the NFL season.
Clark's September sentencing was summarized on fox4kc.com:
A judge sentenced the 29-year-old to a year of probation and ordered him to complete 40 hours of community service. The judge also requested he host four free youth football camps. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Clark has fulfilled the camp requirement.
What does Frank Clark's suspension mean for the Chiefs?
Already thin at defensive end, Clark's suspension removes one of the Chiefs' top edge rushers from the rotation before two matchups with AFC rivals.
Heal up, Mike Danna
Rookie George Karlaftis leads defensive ends in total defensive snaps this year with 352, but Clark is a close second with 336, ahead of Carlos Dunlap (212), Mike Danna (97) and Malik Herring (67). Danna has missed a significant portion of the year due to injury, but head coach Andy Reid said Sunday that Danna (along with injured cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Rashad Fenton) appeared to be on track to return after the bye week.
With the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars up next for Kansas City, the Chiefs will have to take on the AFC South-leading Titans on Sunday Night Football and then Trevor Lawrence and the Jags with a combination of Karlaftis, Dunlap, Danna and Herring providing the majority of the edge rush.
Chris Jones will keep moving around
Defensive tackle Chris Jones has continued to get regular work at defensive end this year, particularly in obvious passing scenarios. Expect Jones to continue moving across the line as the Chiefs attempt to hide the thinner parts of their defensive line and find the best matchups for Jones. With defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton already on injured reserve, however, their depth on the interior has already been weakened.
Defensive tackle Danny Shelton remains on the Chiefs' practice squad, but he is the only defensive lineman on the practice squad as of Clark's suspension. Expect them to add another before they face the Titans.
Does this encourage a trade?
Just hours before Clark's suspension, Jordan Foote of Arrowhead Report suggested ways the Chiefs could improve their pass rush before the trade deadline. Does Clark's suspension impact KC's need?
...Probably not? It certainly shouldn't make them more or less interested in a player like Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns, who would require a haul of draft picks and a massive contract that would need to be evaluated independently of Clark. However, the Chiefs already projected as logical buyers at the deadline, at the right price. Clark's suspension might make a veteran acquisition even more logical, but the Chiefs were almost certainly making those calls before the suspension was announced.
Could Joshua Kaindoh see the field?
Defensive end Joshua Kaindoh, a fourth-round pick (No. 144 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, has appeared in only three games for the Chiefs so far, and he has not yet been active on gamedays in 2022. If the Chiefs still have hope in Kaindoh's ability, this may be the time to test it.
