Report: Frank Clark Is Signing With the Seattle Seahawks, Not the KC Chiefs

During the offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to part ways with longtime defensive end Frank Clark as the franchise went in another direction. At the time, Clark's looming salary for the 2023-24 season relative to his production simply wasn't worth the trade-off. Clark later signed with the Denver Broncos but ultimately didn't last very long, being released this month.

Not long after Clark was released by Denver, it was reported that a return to Kansas City was viewed as "the most likely scenario" for him. Despite that expectation by many, Clark is going back to one of his previous franchises that isn't the Chiefs.

Initially reported by Josina Anderson of CBS Sports and subsequently confirmed by Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Clark is signing to the Seattle Seahawks' 53-man roster on Wednesday. The move is pending a physical during his visit.

Breaking: Free agent DE Frank Clark just told me he’s flying in today for a visit with the #Seahawks. If all goes well, he will sign with Seattle. pic.twitter.com/Vh97GQ2peq
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 25, 2023

Clark, who turned 30 this summer, recently took a pay cut that helped pave the way for his ticket out of Denver. In two games played with the Broncos, the veteran pass rusher logged 36 snaps and recorded two tackles. It was an underwhelming stint for the three-time Pro Bowler, culminating with him being inactive for the team's Week 6 matchup against Kansas City. He allegedly came into town late last week, although a deal was never reached with the team.

This past year with the Chiefs, Clark generated 45 pressures in 469 opportunities and provided sound run defense for Steve Spagnuolo's front four. He had five sacks in the regular season, adding another 2.5 in the playoffs that saw him climb to third on the NFL's all-time postseason sacks list with 13.5 in his career. He has a total of 136 tackles and 35 sacks in 62 regular-season games as a Seahawk. Clark was a second-round pick by Seattle in the 2015 NFL Draft.

At this stage of his career, there are multiple question marks surrounding Clark's game. Consistency and availability are two of them, as he missed a good handful of outings during his previous time in Kansas City and was on this year's Broncos injury report for four weeks with a lingering hip injury before being ruled out of Week 6 with an illness. He's ideally a depth piece and complementary rusher in year No. 9, although that's a solid fit for what Seattle needs. Joshua Brisco of Arrowhead Report recently wrote about whether a Clark reunion made sense for the Chiefs, settling on a tug-of-war between current impact and longer-term planning:

Having Clark back in Kansas City, especially for another round of the inexplicable "Playoff Frank Clark," would be a blast. I'm also not particularly worried about Clark recoiling at the idea of being a part-time player for a defense he once led. He'd be a strong mentoring presence for the young rushers without the hefty price tag that ended his first run in KC. But before the Chiefs make the nostalgia play, they need to ensure that their long-term plan centered around Karlaftis, Omenihu, Danna and Anudike-Uzomah still has time to develop. It's what they chose to bet on when they released Clark in March.

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones recently expressed public interest in the Chiefs bringing Clark back. 'The Shark' won't be sporting a Kansas City uniform despite that campaign from one of his close friends, but Jones said he spoke to Clark recently and he's happy for him finding a new home in Seattle.

"Listen, I think will be a remarkable thing for Frank," Jones said on Wednesday afternoon. "I think he had a lot of success in Seattle. Frank, I love him like a brother. I actually talked to him last night about this. I wish the best for him. Hopefully he comes here, but most importantly, I want what's best for him and his career. Seattle, hometown team, it's who drafted him. So it makes sense, and I hope it goes well for him.

Read More: Andy Reid Shares First Comments on Justyn Ross Arrest, Team's Process