Does Frank Clark change what Seahawks will do at trade deadline?
Oct 26, 2023, 12:26 PM
Frank Clark of the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 18, 2016. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
(Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
With top edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu out for the rest of the season, the Seattle Seahawks turned to free agency this week and signed Frank Clark, their second-round pick in 2015 who they traded ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Seattle Seahawks reunite with pass rusher Frank Clark
Clark, now 30, joins a Seahawks team that, even without Nwosu and his 9.5 sacks from last season, still has young talent at edge rusher in Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor and rookie Derick Hall.
The timing of Clark signing with Seattle is certainly interesting, with the Tuesday, Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline quickly approaching.
“How does this change the way you’re approaching the deadline if you are (Seahawks general manager) John Schneider with the trade deadline on Tuesday?” Mike Salk asked former NFL quarterback Brock Huard during Thursday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports.
For Huard, there’s a lot riding on the 4-2 Seahawks’ Sunday matchup with the Cleveland Browns, who also 4-2.
Bump: How much should Seattle Seahawks play Frank Clark right away?
“Let’s watch life without Uchenna Nwosu. Let’s watch a Cleveland team and a (head coach and offensive play-caller in) Kevin Stefanski that knows how to scheme, knows how to run, and has kind of some of that (Mike) Shanahan kind of background in his run game like San Francisco and the Rams,” Huard said. “Let’s see how these boys play the edge. This is going to be a big audition. It’s going to be more snaps for Derick Hall, more snaps for Darrell Taylor, more opportunity for those guys.”
Regardless of how Sunday goes for Clark, Mafe, Taylor and Hall, Huard doesn’t think it impacts the Seahawks making a move at another position on the defensive line.
Seattle Seahawks Instant Reaction: How will Frank Clark fit back in?
“It doesn’t preclude them from what you want, which is 6 foot 5 and 320 (pounds) inside,” Huard said to Salk.
Salk has been open about wanting the Seahawks to trade for veteran New York Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams, and he thinks that still remains a possibility.
“This now, for me, closes the conversation at defensive end or an edge rusher, and opens the conversation even wider about an interior defensive lineman,” Salk said. “There’s a few names out there. Leonard Williams is the one that I’ve kind of pointed out a few times just because the Giants stink. But if Washington is dealing, are you interested in Jonathan Allen? Are you interested in Daron Payne? I mean, like there are a few other guys and various teams that fill kind of that same role.”
Listen to the third hour of Thursday’s Brock and Salk at this link or in the player near the top of this story.
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