One of the biggest decisions the Kansas City Chiefs will need to make ahead of the start of the new league year is regarding the status of veteran defensive end Frank Clark.
Clark reworked his contract a year ago in order to stay with the team in 2022, and the decision helped him to become a champion once again. This year, they’re again at a crossroads with his salary cap hit for the upcoming season. He’s one of the few players who is a realistic cut candidate in Kansas City as he’s due over $28.6 million in 2023.
Speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Chiefs HC Andy Reid said he had a good talk with Clark at the end of the season. The two have a very close relationship and it’s clear that Reid would like to see him back, but Veach ultimately has the final say on the decision.
“I actually talked to him at the parade,” Reid said. “That’s where I ended up talking to him. He had to do some stuff for the actual exit physical, but I had a good talk with him. I love Frank Clark. It’s just Brett (Veach) has got to juggle all these different things going on, but Frank, he’s top-notch. I love him, I love him to death.”
Releasing Clark could free $21 million in salary cap space, which the team might need when push comes to shove. That said, Veach seemed optimistic that he and Clark’s representation could come to an amicable agreement that would be beneficial to both sides. That means keeping Clark in Kansas City and lowering his 2023 cap number.
“We’ll probably, to a certain extent, need some cap space,” Veach said. “We have a long history with (Frank Clark) and his agent (Erik Burkhardt) too. He’ll be one of the many conversations we have this week and look forward to getting with him and seeing if we can work something out that makes sense for both parties.”
Whether this materializes as a contract extension, reworked deal or something otherwise remains to be seen, but the subject will be broached between the front office and Clark’s representation this week at the combine.
