Will Frank Clark play in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles?
As a squad with the 30th-ranked defense heading into Week 4, the Kansas City Chiefs need some good news. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be coming in regards to defensive end Frank Clark. Clark has been battling a hamstring injury for a number of weeks and is listed as "questionable" for Week 4. Will the defensive end finally find the field in Week 4?
Frank Clark: the Chiefs' only hope?
Put simply, it isn't looking good for Clark. Clark has only played for a split-second this season and is on track to miss even more time. Barring a miracle, Clark will not be able to go on Sunday. In his place will likely be Mike Danna. Mike Danna has one sack and three total tackles to go with a 58.5 PFF score.
Chiefs’ DE Frank Clark, listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game vs. the Chargers, will not play; Kansas City is optimistic that DE Chris Jones, who is listed questionable with a wrist injury, will play, per sources.
The Chiefs need Frank Clark as soon as possible to have any shot at salvaging a defense that has allowed 430 yards per game through three games. With Clark, the Chiefs would be able to generate more pressure, which could force more throws. The more offenses throw these riskier balls, the more interceptions.
The secondary needs the help of the pass rush to generate easier turnovers. Also, with less pressure, the Chiefs' secondary is forced to be perfect to block every throw. There is no secondary in the NFL that can keep a group of receivers locked up for more than a few seconds. If the pass rush doesn't disrupt the passer in four seconds, every secondary in the NFL would be in trouble.
Without Frank Clark, the Chiefs are missing a player who can generate sacks and even interceptions from the defensive line. In 2019, Clark had an interception and eight sacks. In 2020, Clark had six sacks. This season, Clark has two tackles and no sacks.
Even before the injury, Clark was slightly trending down. With all of the time he's missed this season already, his ceiling seems to be lower than his results in 2020. If Clark finishes with fewer sacks than in 2019, he will officially have been trending down for three years. At 28 years old, Clark is too young to be regressing from age-related issues. However, the pattern is similar to someone five years older.
If the pattern continues to match that of a twilight player, this could be his last contract with the Chiefs. In 2022, the star will reach the first time in his deal that the team can cut him and save money. If the Chiefs say enough is enough in 2022, they could save $34 million by cutting the rusher. It may not be the wisest move for the worst-ranked defense, but it may be on the table if this continues.