Can Seahawks’ Frank Clark repeat his preseason dominance?
Aug 18, 2016, 7:20 AM | Updated: 9:58 am
The star of last year's preseason, Frank Clark is in line for a bigger role along the Seahawks' defensive line. (AP)
(AP)
He was the first player to take the field on the first day of Seahawks training camp, and he is the first player you should watch in tonight’s preseason game against Minnesota.
The second-year defensive lineman isn’t playing for his job this August, and he’s not coming back from injury or a disappointing season. This month is much more important than that for Clark, who is the member of Seattle’s defense that is poised to take the biggest step forward this season. At least that’s the hope.
“I think he is going to be really special,” coach Pete Carroll said on the day Seattle began training camp.
He needs to be if the Seahawks are going to have the kind of defensive rotation they want up front. For all the talk about the increased depth along the defensive line, Jordan Hill has been held up by a sore groin and Chris Clemons retired before he even made it to camp. Seattle needs Clark and third-year defensive end Cassius Marsh to provide juice off the bench.
So all eyes should be on Clark, who’s building quite a reputation for destroying opponent’s JV lines. Clark spent most of the August schedule marauding over opposing offensive linemen last year, too. But then the regular season started, and while Clark wasn’t invisible, he didn’t leap to the top of the playing rotation, either. He was a backup on a team whose starting defensive ends wound up playing more than anticipated.
Clark was on the field for about one-third of Seattle’s defensive snaps, and looking back, Carroll didn’t think feel like that was enough.
“I don’t think we used him as much as we should have,” Carroll said. “I think we should have forced him a lit bit more.”
That’s going to happen this year. In fact, it was already evident in Seattle’s first preseason game in Kansas City. You’re going to see Clark lining up at defensive end in the team’s base defense. You’ll see him at defensive tackle in the nickel pass-rush. And if last week was any indication, you’re also going to see him knocking around opposing offensive linemen with impunity.
Here are some other things to watch in tonight’s preseason home opener:
1. Is Kenny Lawler catching on?
The rookie out of California seemed physically overwhelmed in the first week of training camp. Cornerback DeShawn Shead was particularly problematic for Lawler in one practice when he failed to catch three different passes following contact from Shead. All Lawler has done since then is catch pretty much everything in sight, including two passes in Kansas City. With Kasen Williams and Kevin Smith held out recently by hamstring injuries, Lawler is making a strong push for that fifth receiver spot.
2. I’ll take third-down back with a vacancy, Alex.
Third-round pick C.J. Prosise is penciled in for that slot given his experience as a wide receiver at Notre Dame, and while he returned to practice this week after missing two weeks with a sore hamstring, he isn’t going to play tonight. That could translate to an opportunity for fifth-round pick Alex Collins to audition. Christine Michael has made a compelling case to be the backup to Thomas Rawls, which would leave Collins searching for a spot to fit into the playing rotation. He showed the ability to catch passes out of the backfield first in Seattle’s mock game and then against the Chiefs, but he also appeared to miss a pass-rush pickup in Kansas City.
3. Who’s Seattle’s mystery meat at fullback?
The Seahawks are one of the few teams in the league that still use a fullback. Who will fit that spot this year is a wide-open question because of injuries. Tre Madden was knocked out by a shoulder injury, Brandon Cottom tore his Achilles tendon and former Husky Taniela Tupou has been restricted to defensive line because of a fully encasted hand. Another former Husky, Jonathan Amosa, got a lot of action in the preseason opener last week, but to hear Carroll tell it, the team has a surprise plan for this week. “We’ve got another little experiment that you’ll see at game time that we’re testing out,” Carroll said. “We’re just going to keep growing with it and see how it goes.”
Programming note: 710 ESPN Seattle and KIRO Radio 97.3 FM will air tonight’s Seahawks-Vikings preseason game, with pregame coverage beginning at 5 and kickoff at 7.
