Chiefs To Part Ways With This Postseason Hero
The Chiefs are fresh off their second Super Bowl in the last four seasons and feeling good about their future. However, the cap space monster is rearing its head, and the Chiefs must make big decisions. Losing postseason heroes might be the only direction that makes sense, and Chiefs fans need to prep for this. So which of KC’s postseason heroes could be on the move? Let’s discuss this.
Postseason Frank Clark Will Cost Too Much
Last offseason, Frank Clark agreed to a contract restructure that saved the Chiefs $12.6 million in cap space. Clark also earned an additional $6.8 million in incentives, and $1.5 million of that is thanks to the Chiefs’ postseason success. In four seasons with KC, Clark has 23.5 sacks, 32 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, and 127 total tackles.
Based on that, the Chiefs should not get rid of him, right? Unfortunately, Clark is carrying a whopping $28 million cap hit for 2023. Therefore, the Chiefs would save $21 million if they cut him this offseason. According to Adama Schefter, the release process of Clark has already begun. Clark’s agent announced they could not agree on a new deal restructure; thus, he will be released sooner rather than later.
This is the right move considering Clark has played nowhere near the level of $28 million a year. Clark might be a postseason hero, but all good things end, especially when they cost $28 million.
Who Will Replace Frank Clark?
The Chiefs will be looking to replace the veteran pass rusher via the draft or free agency. However, with guys like Mike Danna and George Karlaftis still around, they have enough talent to survive for now. A viable option here is Marcus Davenport, a former first-round pick for the Saints. Why Davenport? Listen up.
Davenport is a free agent, and according to PFF, he is only projected to get a one-year deal worth around $12 million. So if the Saints do not pony up the cash, the Chiefs will have the cap space after releasing Clark to go pursue Davenport. Ideally, he could sign a two-year deal for $22 million and allow the Chiefs a real chance to see if he’s worth it.
Final Thoughts
Chiefs fans should not worry too much about what is left behind once Clark is officially gone. George Karlaftis is an emerging talent, and Brett Veach is quite capable of finding someone to work alongside Karlaftis. Frank Clark is a beloved player in KC, and his time and efforts on the team will be cherished forever.
However, money matters in the NFL, and despite all the sacks and two Super Bowl rings, $28 million is too much to pay for at this point. Clark should be able to find another suitor who can pay him for his production in the playoffs and overall. It is time for the Chiefs to begin a new era at the defensive end and say goodbye to postseason hero Frank Clark.
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