Seahawks want a first rounder for Frank Clark

Let’s try and parse the following tweet…

1. The Seahawks are open to trading Frank Clark — as many have reported. Now they’re using the media to try and set a high bar for negotiations.

2. The parameters for a deal are clear so if a new contract was possible, we’d probably be hearing about progress not potential trades. Have they already decided they can’t/won’t meet Clark’s demands?

3. Clearly nobody has made a suitable offer. That’s why they’re making it known, through the best source of NFL breaking news, what their high-point asking price is.

4. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll take a first round pick to get a deal done. They might be prepared to accept a high second rounder. At this stage it seems like they want to shoot for the first rounder and there’s time to adjust their position.

5. We’ve been here before with Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman. Nobody made a reasonable offer and both players remained in Seattle. I still think this outcome is likely for Clark in 2019 due to the excellent D-line class and the +$65m in guarantees you’d have to give up on top of draft compensation.

6. Even so, it’s pretty clear a trade could happen. There’s no point pretending it’s a non-starter — even if, like me, you think ultimately he’ll play on the franchise tag this season. Too many quality sources are talking about this. Adam Schefter, Mike Garofolo, Michael Lombardi, Tony Pauline, Mike Florio, Ian Rapoport and originally Jay Glazer.

7. Garofolo originally told 710 ESPN it would take a high first rounder to acquire Clark. That seems very unlikely and if that was possible — the Seahawks wouldn’t need Schefter’s tweet to help things along. If the interested parties are Indianapolis and Kansas City as reported — this is probably about trying to coax them to offer #26, #29 or #34 instead of #59, #61 or #63.

8. Adding a high-ish pick for Clark would free up cap space and aid Seattle’s draft board. That’s the positive side of things. The negative is — their pass rush was already fairly milquetoast. When they lost Cliff Avril and traded Michael Bennett, Clark was the up-and-coming younger player ready to take the leading role. They don’t have a Clark to turn to now. Removing him would create a big hole. The fact they’re even considering it shows how much they value this D-line draft class. And for that reason — get ready for a D-line centric draft next week.

For more on the Clark situation, listen to our conversation with Tony Pauline:

You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.

Become a Patron!

115 Comments

  1. Volume12

    That would be the way to go if you gotta trade him. Still though, IMO there’s not a better EDGE in this class than Frank Clark.

    • DC

      The Colts have the money, the balls, the draft ammo & are contending. If someone is going to do it I could see Seattle ultimately accepting the Colts #34 & #59 for Frank after all the haggling is said and done.

      It would suck to lose Frank. I think he’s just getting up on step.

      • Rob Staton

        The Colts aren’t giving up #34 & #59 for Clark.

        In fact I contend they won’t be trading for him period. Ballard builds through the draft.

        But if they did make a move — they’re not giving up two second rounders.

        • charlietheunicorn

          The point that the Colts GM is a build through the draft kind of guy keeps getting lost on people.
          I just do not see them trading anything higher than a late 2nd for Clark….. so might as well hold onto him if you are Seattle.

          A team such as the Packers have taken a 180 turn this year and have been adding through FA (which they didn’t in the past) and might be willing to wheel and deal draft picks…. due to a change at the GM spot.

          I’m also not sold on the whole Chiefs angle either. They simply have way too many big time contracts coming up within 2 years to entertain adding a guy who will command around 20M/year….. starting this year.

          • Rob Staton

            The Bills would be my tip. They need a pass rusher and a weapon for Josh Allen. Swapping #9 for #21 and giving Seattle #40 enables them to get Clark and a WR or TE. Maybe they throw in Shaq Lawson.

            • charlietheunicorn

              The Bills have so much heat around them for various rumors, it is maddening.

              This scenario would enable Seattle to slide down the draft from #9 to say #16 and also fill out some 2nd or 3rd round draft picks from a “TBD” team they trade with later.

              Who would have thought, that team in South Alaska would have so much press before the draft…. LOL

              • charlietheunicorn

                A quick check, the 2 3rd round picks by the Panthers would line up almost perfectly with a #9 for #16 swap of picks points wise (assuming Clark + #21 went to Bills for #9).

            • Would take that trade

              I would take that trade. It’s a given that JS will flip the #9 multiple times and get 3-4 picks out of it. That would give us 7-8 picks. Lawson would be the icing on the cake. He has a 76 PFF grade.

  2. Eburgz

    “Have they already decided they can’t/won’t meet Clark’s demands?” Nope where did you get that from?

    According to them “Frankie is gonna be a hawk”

    I think it will take an early R1 pick unless frank is asking for Mack money to pry him from the hawks.

    My guess is a Lawrence type contract before the deadline.

    • Rob Staton

      There’s this thing called a question mark Eburgz. It looks like this — ‘?’

      You use it when you want to pose a question.

      It’s used to signify when something is a question not a statement.

      EG — “Have they already decided they can’t/won’t meet Clark’s demands?”

      For me it’s either a trade or he plays on the tag. If they were willing to pay him Lawrence money it’d be done by now.

      • Eburgz

        I included the question mark within the quotation marks and I’m familiar with its purpose. You proposed a question and I answered it and proposed another question. Maybe the tag deadline will spur action like a deadline did with Wilson. You also said if it was as simple as a traditional deal with Russell Wilson at 35 million APY it would be done well before it actually was.

        Ken norton said on his post season interview with 710 espn that Frank’s importance is equal to a quarterback on defense. Just like with Russ I don’t expect him to go anywhere regardless of current posturing. I hope/think they sign Wagner first to a team friendly deal (15M APY) then focus on Frank. That way Bobby (the true leader of the defense) is payed the most on the defense for at least a moment.

        No news on a Clark deal isn’t a surprise, they are focused on the draft. They made an exception negotiating with Wilson on his time frame but frank doesn’t have the same leverage as Wilson. But frank is still an obvious priority considering he’s the first player they have used the tag on in many years.

        i think we agree that Clark playing on the tag is possible/likely, trading him is unlikely. But I think extending him after the draft is at least equally likely to him playing on the tag with a trade being a distant third possibility.

        • Rob Staton

          You asked ‘where I got that from’. There was nothing to ‘get’. I was posing a question.

          I’ve heard all the praise for Clark. We all have. But there’s a reason every reputed journalist in the NFL media is talking about a Clark trade. Because it’s distinctly possible. And if it’s possible — it’s not because they’re completely happy paying him Demarcus Lawrence money because then it’d be a moot point. Clark would take the Lawrence deal right now. The parameters have been set. If they want to make a deal there’s nothing else to be resolved. They’d pay him. They don’t have to wait. It could be done in five minutes. But it isn’t — and all the talk is about a trade.

          I don’t think he will be dealt because I don’t think anyone will make a reasonable offer. I could easily be wrong. But I think he plays on the tag and that’ll be that.

          • GerryG

            So is Clark worth D Lawrence $? I’m not sure Lawrence is even worth that $.

            In a year or so it will be a value contract. I’m pretty torn on the whole dilemma, the pass rush falls off a cliff without Frank, but to me he is nowhere near a dominant force, I can’t think of a single time that Frank took over a game (maybe against a total crap Raiders team). At no point have we thought he was consistently the most disruptive player on the field ala Mike Bennett.

            I guess playing on the tag seems inevitable, it buys another year to develop players, and two drafts to acquire players.

          • Bmseattle

            “But there’s a reason every reputed journalist in the NFL media is talking about a Clark trade.”

            I’d respectfully suggest that there is very little actual “journalism” going on in this case. Instead, it is a matter of being fed information from “sources”.
            This information can always trace back to either player agents or team sources.
            In other words, rumors like this are never by accident. Someone *wants* the situation spun a certain way.

            In this case, it seems logical to point the fingers at the Seahawks themselves as leaking these trade rumors. The Seahawks are notoriously tight-lipped… when they want to be. So this appears to be a not-so-veiled attempt at negotiating through the media, to try and pressure Clark into lowering his demands, and/or get him to start thinking about how valuable it is for him to remain a Seahawk.

            It’s difficult to imagine that the team truly wants rid of Clark. But as Rob is suggesting, they are likely hesitant to pay him what he is asking.
            Anyone who follows Clark on Twitter knows that money is and has been a big motivation for him. It’s not unreasonable to be at least slightly concerned about motivation and effort levels going forward for a defensive lineman who finally gets paid.

            The past couple of seasons, Clark has publicly stated that he played through injuries in order to stay on the field.
            Will that type of commitment still be there after a huge contract?
            IMO, Clark playing on the franchise tag this season is the best option for ensuring the team gets a hungry/motivated player. Then, a trade next off season, or long term contract is the next option. Or even a 2nd tag, if necessary.

            My guess is that Clark absolutely does not want to play on the tag this season. His agent will realize that it makes more sense for Clark to sign a long term deal now, than to possibly play on two franchise tags in a row, and a deal will get done in July.

            • Rob Staton

              People get too hung up on journalists. If a team puts out to a journalist that they are willing to trade a defender, that’s a legit report. And that’s what the Seahawks did here, while setting a high negotiating bar.

              • Bmseattle

                “People get too hung up on journalists.”

                Fair enough… no more mention of that aspect of the situation from me.

                I’m curious as to your thoughts regarding the possiblity that the best outcome from this situation (from the Seahawks perspective), is to actually let Clark play on the franchise tag this year?

                • Rob Staton

                  I think the best outcome is a deal but if the team has decided they won’t pay him as much as Lawrence, it’s a pretty clear situation IMO. Either someone offers you an appealing trade or you just crack on, with him playing on the tag, and push the problem into next year. They can do that now with Wilson signed up.

    • Edgar

      Something has to give. Money needs to be saved somewhere and nobody knows how Clark will react playing on the franchise tag. The team has too much good mojo going to just hope Clark acts like the great teammate he has been up to this point and balls out in his last season as a Seahawk. I’m guessing he is asking for 21-22 per and not budging….so I would be happy with a 2nd and a next year 3rd just to be able to sign Wags and still have massive cap flexibility.

      • Eburgz

        We can sign wags and Clark. You can’t just rely on guys balling out on rookie contracts you have to spend your cap space on someone and I prefer spending it on homegrown blue chip talent.

        Tagging him for a year then signing him to a deal could be the right move. You always have to be open to a trade but a second round pick this year and a third next year isn’t enough to move on from Frank for me, not even close. If Clark has another year like last year (where he was playing very injured according to him) Then the price is just going up. I think Frank is the real deal so I’m inclined to sign him to a market contract in line with Demarcus Lawrence’s deal. If he isn’t open to a deal like that at this point I’m guessing he will be at some point before the season.

        • Edgar

          I agree that it would be nice if Seattle could sign him, but not to over 20 million a year. Clark had a lot $$$ of incentive to play hurt last year. If he had sat out 3-4 games, it would have cost him many millions in negotiations. 13 sacks would have looked more like 9-10 and the Seahawks could have locked him up for 15 per or less.
          Keep in mind it’s not just the compensation of draft pick(s) for Clark that is to Seattle’s benefit. 20 million can go towards 2-5 starting players instead and with the injury rate the way it is, a few good defensive players is better than a single really good one.

  3. Rob4q

    I just don’t get who they would draft at 29 or 61 who would replace Frank Clark right away. It’s going to take some time for that player to develop just like Frank did. So do they feel like the other guys on the roster are good enough? Is there anyone left in free agency that would make a difference? I just don’t see it…

    Side note – any chance the Seahawks are interested in trading with TB for Gerald McCoy? Seems like it’s a done deal he is going to get moved and could have a few more good years left. I know he would have to restructure his contract, but that will most likely happen wherever he ends up.

    • Rob Staton

      Whether they trade him or not — they’re at least clearly willing to. So they must have some kind of plan.

    • pqlqi

      Allen Bailey from the Chiefs visited the Seahawks in the last 2 weeks. He’s a bit older, but is a very active 3/5 tech type with good pass rushing skills. The combination of Bailey and Reed inside would partially ameliorate the loss of Clark.

  4. cha

    I can understand why there is so much trade talk but the more I think about it, this would be a move geared more toward competing in 2020 than 2019.

    If they insist on truly competing in 2019 AND trading Clark, they must have some kind of plan to take Clark’s $17m and buy into the remaining FA DL class.

    Suh is underwhelming to me. But maybe they can get an angry Suh and sell him that he’s not playing second fiddle to Aaron Donald anymore – he’s the focus on DL.

    Can Suh + Reed force the interior enough to make up for only having Martin and Rookie Draft Pick rushing on the edges? Do they think Green is ready to make a big contribution? Boy that’s a tough case to make.

    • Rob Staton

      Carroll competes every year.

      If they trade him it’s because they weren’t willing to pay him.

      Suh won’t be in Seattle. He couldn’t be arsed last year.

      • cha

        I’m aware Carroll competes every year. My point which I didn’t articulate all that well is I’m not sure what the plan would be for pass rush in 2019 if they indeed trade Clark. Suh is the biggest name and therefore an obvious target, but not an ideal fit and probably not the attitude the Hawks want in the locker room.

        • Rob Staton

          If they trade Clark I can only presume they think there are options in this draft class who can make up the difference.

    • Volume12

      Nah. I still like Suh. Always have. Doesn’t appear to have much gas left in the tank. I

      IF Seattle trades Clark, one way you can make up for having Reed, Martin, and whoever else as your D-line is coverage sacks. Could be another reason why Seattle is looking to fortify their secondary.

  5. Eli

    Two of the quotes from the ESPN article on this topic stood out to me:

    “People around the league know that we’re in every deal, that the people on my staff, we’re always trying to understand the landscape around the National Football League. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing our job. We can’t ever have our head in the sand with anything, but we love Frank. Obviously that’s why we franchised him.”

    That we’re open to listening on offers shouldn’t surprise us – it’s consistently been the team’s M.O. that they’ll listen if someone calls. It doesn’t mean they want to trade Frank, or that they will. Just means they’re doing their job, and that if someone calls and blows them away with an offer they have an obligation to decide if that deal makes the team better. At times it can seem tiring but it is somewhat reassuring to know that our front office will never settle for complacency. They are always trying to get better.

    “His 33 sacks since 2016 ranks ninth in the league, and his 2,045 defensive snaps in that span are fewer than the eight players ahead of him, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Of the 21 players with at least 25 sacks since 2016, Clark’s average of a sack every 63.9 snaps ranks seventh.”

    Rob has already done a great job detailing the pros and cons of trading Frank, and how it would affect our ability to field a competent pass rush so I won’t rehash that. Just thought this was a nice bit of research to add in to show that Frank has been really really good for us, and its possible he continues being just as good or maybe even better. I’m hoping he stays in Seattle for a long long time.

    • GerryG

      Hmmm, good stats, thanks.

      Wonder how he rates in pressure %. As I mentioned above he doesn’t feel that disruptive to me, not consistently

      • betaparticle

        You might have a different definition of consistency than the rest of the world.
        Clark is eighth in sacks over the last three years (only 2 behind K Mack).
        Clark is T10th (tied with Mack) in QB hits over the last 3 years.
        In 2018, Clark had half a sack more than K Mack and had 27 QBhits to Mack’s 18.

        People complain that Clark didn’t have a sack in 5 games in 2018, so he’s inconsistent… but guess what? K Mack got goose-egged on sacks in 5 games too. Aaron Donald and Danielle Hunter had 0 sacks in 6 games, JJ Watt, Chris Jones, and Von Miller all had 0 sacks in 5 games. Those last 5 are the top 5 players by sacks in 2018.

        Raw numbers suggest Clark is as consistent as other elite pass rushers. I get that your eye-test tells you that Clark doesn’t dominate the game every play, but I’d suggest we are all biased against Clark because we pay attention to every single play he doesn’t get a pressure or a snap, and we are biased positively towards other elite pass rushers because the vast majority of what we see is game recaps, and our data set tends to be limited to highlight footage.

  6. Steve

    Jets need a pass rusher.

    Trade #21 and Frank for #3 and trade down.

    Get a beast on DL.
    Help with our cap.
    Move one step closer to signing Bobby and JR.

    • Rob Staton

      The Jets won’t make that deal.

      • Duceyq

        I think if the Jets trade back, like they’re expected to do, a deal with them can get done. Colts and Raiders late round picks could be had if the defensive lineman they’re targeting don’t fall to them.

  7. Dale Roberts

    Clark’s agent is Erik Burkhardt who also represents Johnny Manziel, Kyler Murray, Kliff Kingsbury and Andy Dalton among others. The ‘Select Sports Group’ is the number five NFL agency with about $800 million in active contracts in 2018. BTW if there were any questions about Kyler Murray being Arizona’s pick, “Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray and his agent, Erik Burkhardt, are in Arizona today (April 9th) to meet with the Cardinals, a league source confirmed” according the Adam Shefter. Burkhardt is on a roll which doesn’t bode well for Clark settling for a lesser contract.

  8. Volume12

    What’s gonna be the ratings grab on draft night that the NFL has created?

    • charlietheunicorn

      It is going to be on both ABC and ESPN….. so MASSIVE… since it will start 8PM Eastern and 5PM Pacific

      • Volume12

        No, I know it’s gonna be on ABC which means they’ll want even more people to tune in. It’s already a ratings juggernaut, but what I meant was the NFL drums up stories, sequences, rumors for a reason when it comes to the draft. They aren’t stupid. What’s gonna be the hook this year?

        • Volume12

          Do we find out that a QBs teammates didn’t attend his Bday party and now he’ll slide?

          Is that who we think it is behind the gas mask?

          What info gets leaked right before they go on air?

          • Hawktalker#1

            Hahaha That’s exactly the kind of stuff that happens on draft day. 🙂

        • DC

          Release & play footage from the Jupiter Spa between picks?

          • Volume12

            Oh god. Sad but true.

            Pats fans: Robert Kraft deserves sex!

        • charlietheunicorn

          1) The Cardinals and Murray
          2) Can the Raiders mess this up?
          3) Who are the Patriots drafting to replace Brady?
          4) Joey Bosa, who is this guy?
          5) We get higher ratings than the NBA!
          6) We are going to have some behind the scenes footage of Avengers Endgame during the telecast

          😀

  9. Denver Hawk

    I’m not as good as others on this blog at coming up with stats, but anecdotally it seems like the 1st Round pass rushers in the last couple drafts have performed very well in their rookie seasons. I know Frank has performed well in his young career and could be even better next year, but just seems like his production isn’t THAT much better than a 1st rounder. If that’s true, why on earth would any team trade a 1st round pick?

    Further, if the Hawks are able to get a 1st round for Frank, I have to imagine they go DE 1st and still need a bookend by the 3rd. This doesn’t really help the team other than free up cap space which they don’t need this year.

    Perhaps only reason they trade him is if they doubt their ability to get a deal done by next year and don’t want to lose him for nothing. With Russ paid, they could probably afford to tag him a 2nd time like Lawrence depending on how he performs this year.

    • charlietheunicorn

      They would still have the ability to franchise him 1 more time. It might cost a little bit in change next year, but would average out to less than 20M / year (I think). 17M this year and around 22M next year on back to back tags.

      • EranUngar

        And, if you want to TAG and trade him for a kings ransom, you are better off doing it when the draft class is not a legendary DL class…

  10. Tecmo Bowl

    “The fact they’re even considering (trading Clark) shows how much they value this D-line draft class. And for that reason — get ready for a D-line centric draft next week.” Rob

    Couldn’t agree more.

  11. red

    If Clark is traded there is a two week buffer period before free agents dont count against comp picks. If Clark is moved seattle cap will be at 27 mil available.

    DE available

    Benson Mayowa
    Ezekiel Ansah
    Michael Johnson

    DT

    Ndamukong Suh
    Timmy Jernigan
    Corey Liuget
    Muhammad Wilkerson
    Bennie Logan
    Danny Shelton

    WR
    Michael Crabtree
    Jermaine Kearse
    Terrance Williams
    Martavis Bryant

    DB
    Davon House
    Deshawn Shead
    Jalen Myrick
    Eric Berry
    Marcus Gilchrist

    TE
    Jermaine Gresham
    Lance Kendricks
    Levine Toilolo
    Maxx Williams

    • lil’stink

      Add Tre Boston to the list, who might be the best remaining FA when you factor in age. I imagine he gets signed between the draft and May 7.

      I know everyone loves comp picks, but I think Boston is young enough and enough of a proven talent to consider signing, if we could afford him long term. My guess is that PC is is content to roll with TT, even if none of us fans are.

      • red

        If Boston is not signed in the next 3 weeks he will not count against comp picks i believe deadline is may 9.

      • MJL

        Boston’s stats look good..thanks for bringing him up. This would be his 4th team in 5 years though..wonder what the story is there.

    • OaklandHawk

      Mayowa signed with the Raiders.

      • red

        nice catch apparently signed two days ago i also missed Perry form packers as well.

    • Dale Roberts

      Is a tagged player still considered a free agent?

  12. Dutchenstein

    What about Ziggy Ansah? I haven’t heard anyone talk about him lately on this blog. The only way I see this being a good idea is if we use some of the cap space we save towards some other d-line help in FA. I have heard there are questions on whether or not Ansah really loves football. Doesn’t really scream Seahawks to me. But maybe we get him on a cheap prove it deal like we did for Avril and Bennett. I would probably prefer him over Suh. Maybe sign Ziggy and Danny Shelton plus the players we will inevitably draft.

    • Rob Staton

      That’s the issue with Ansah. Made his money, constantly banged up. Heart not really in it. Currently injured again. This is a young, hungry team and we don’t want anyone ruining that.

  13. Volume12

    I’ve watched this probably 50 times. A marvel.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons/status/1118689020719005696

    • LLLOGOSSS

      The ram that charges over the Saints fan 😂

  14. schuemansky

    I would add the Patriots to the potential trade partner list.
    They have the cap space, they lost Flowers in FA, they have a lot of ammo in this draft, they pick too late to get a top DL prospect with pick 32. They even have a tradition to trade for people with only a year left with heir contract.
    So what about R1/32 and R3/37, or even R2/24 and R2/32.

    • H

      The Patriots don’t pay pass rushers, they draft them high and either trade them or let them walk.

      • MJL

        Patriots might be on to something there. It would be interesting to see stats regarding how DL’s/DE’s who get big 2nd contracts perform before and after that big pay day. I have a gut feeling there is a post-contract drop off (combo of age and motivation). Might be worth it to enjoy a pissed off FC wreak havoc on the field this season and then get what you can for him next off-season…same goes for Reed. Hopefully they don’t end up in our division though..

        • H

          I always urge caution trying to copy the Patriots format, with Brady and Billicheck they play with different rules to the rest of us.

          That said with the way pass rusher contracts have exploded, it may be worth trying to scheme your pressure and only pay if you’ve got a really special guy on your hands.

          • MJL

            yeah..agreed about trying to copy what the Pats do. Just wondering though..since as Rob often points out that the best athletes in college seem to always end up on the defensive side of the ball…if a strategy of constantly churning your DL and replacing with high draft picks might not make a lot of sense from a cap perspective.

            • MJL

              it would make a lot of sense is what I was trying to say…

              • H

                It does make some sense for sure.

  15. David Ashton

    I wonder if teams and media alike are sleeping on D’Andre Walker a bit. Plays violent on tape every time I saw Georgia this year and I know you were high on him during the season Rob. Wonder if one or more teams might overlook the lack of testing and pull the trigger on him earlier than hes currently projected to go. I wonder if some teams might consider him in first frame or early second.

  16. GoHawksDani

    If they trade Clark, I want a top10 rated DE/EDGE with the pick they get. And I want them to have at least 3 picks in the first 3 rounds. Trading Frank and only get a second round pick would cause massive hole in the roster with no ammo to fill. I don’t think trading him is a good move. No way they get a decent compensation and doing it weakens an already questionable position. The CAP shouldn’t be that tight that they cannot sign him. If they think they can get Gary or Sweat PLUS a top WR or safety/nCB or another great DL prospect (Lawrence for example or maybe Simmons) with a trade then maybe it’s OK. But I think this is incredibly risky and can create a lot of issue with the front7, the run D and with the secondary if they’ll unable to cause pressure…

    • Rob Staton

      It all depends on their willingness to pay Clark though. If they aren’t willing to, they’ll lose him in 12 months.

      • MJL

        This is where the Malik situation comes back and bites us (again). If he had developed into the effective “book-end” to FC that we all expected….it would be much more palatable taking a 2nd rounder for Frank and move on.

  17. jb9

    Wonder what your mock would look like with Clark gone. Pass rushers with the first 2-3 picks?

  18. millhouse-serbia

    https://twitter.com/TDLockett12/status/1119824813214748672?s=19

    I really hope they will sign him on long term contract.

    • jb9

      A 2nd rd pick and $20M a season in cap room may end up being more valuable here.

      If I followed a team with a lot of cap room and draft capital like the Colts, I’d probably rather have Clark than the 2nd rd pick.

  19. Trevor

    I am sure the Hawks would love to get a 1st rounder for Clark but that is a pipe dream IMO. Why would anyone give up a 1st round pick in a year with an historically good DL class for what basically amounts to exclusive rights to negotiate at $20 mil APY deal?

    I think there is almost zero chance they can get that for him and like Earl last year Frank will play out this year motivated but pissed at Hawks management and then move on next off season for a 3rd comp. We have seen this movie before I think and Rob is spot on with his predicton I think.

    Think about it the Chiefs got a 2020 2nd rounder for Dee Ford and we want a 2019 1st rounder for Clark. I know Clark is better but not that much.

    I still really hope they extend Clark as I think he is the type of talent that is almost impossible to replace but if not I will enjoy his last year as a Hawk and hope they make deep playoff run. Trading him for a 2020 2nd rounder like KC did with Ford does not appeal to me at all because there is no way they can replace his production with such limited draft capial and free agent options.

    • MJL

      Another reasonable recent comp would be the Pats getting a 2nd rounder for Chandler Jones. That one worked out pretty well for the Cards.

  20. RWIII

    Frank Clark’s situation is totally different than E.T./Richard Sherman’s. Clark is in the prime of his career. Clark is healthy. Clark is younger. This would be Clark’$ 2nd contract. Because of those factors there is a demand for Clark. If Seattle wants to, they can franchise him a second year.

    In regards to Dexter Lawrence I think the Cowboys overpaid him. Aaron Donald and Khali Mack are better players than Lawrence. But the Cowboys gave Lawrence a bigger share of the pie.

    • Rob Staton

      1. I think everyone acknowledges Clark’s situation is different to Earl and Sherman. Nobody is suggesting they’re similar situations. The point is they tried to trade both, didn’t get a good offer and had to move on. That is distinctly possible with Clark. And getting Adam Schefter to tweet what he did yesterday is a sign nobody is ponying up.

      2. It’s amusing that everyone keeps calling Demarcus Lawrence ‘Dexter’.

      • DC

        “The point is they tried to trade both, didn’t get a good offer…”

        They didn’t get an ‘acceptable’ offer. We don’t know what offers they got aside from hearing a Dallas 2nd rounder for Earl which now seems like a sweeter deal than what we will get as a comp.

        • Rob Staton

          They didn’t get a good offer because they didn’t accept any offer.

          They were willing to deal him.

          The only reported offer pre draft was a R3.

    • OakHawk

      Demarcus Lawrence, not Dexter Lawrence.

  21. John

    To me a high first round is very optimistic, but the colts #34 maybe.. well, is not so diferent #34 and for exemple #30. Rob, in this case i see a DE with the pick #21*** and pick #34, i am crazy? But Clark is so important to team! (Sorry my bad english) 🙁

  22. UkAlex6674

    If they got a first rounder from for example KC or Indy, would they offer to trade up to ensure they could get one of the premier pass rushers in the draft?

    • Rob Staton

      No. They have no picks.

      • UkAlex6674

        They could offer their two first rounders for a trade up and in return get a higher pick and a couple of additional picks.

        • Rob Staton

          So they’re going to pick four times in the draft?

          No chance.

  23. ZB

    ** Draft Night 1st Pick Poll **

    Top 5 hopeful picks for you personally:

    My hopefull’s:

    1. Byron Murphy
    2. Clelin Ferrell
    3. Parris Campbell
    4. N’Keal Harry
    5. Jaylon Ferguson

    • Willamette

      Zero chance Murphy is their first pick. For one, they NEVER take a dB that early unless they are earl thomas good. Murphy is a long, LONG ways away from that pedigree… If Ferrell is there, that would be the no-brainer

      • ZB

        Murphy would replace Coleman. He would be a big nickel type and not a classic outside db.

        • Hawktalker#1

          Doesn’t matter. Seahawks just want pick him first for a long list of reasons. Not sure if you’re reading all of the blog posts but they provide most of the background that this opinion is based on.

          • ZB

            I seem to remember Rob saying picking a big nickel isn’t the same as outside cb and the hawks could very well take Murray, Gardener or so on. It doesn’t matter anyway because he’s my number 1 hopeful, I didn’t try to create a poll to bash peoples picks. And yes I do believe the Hawks could pick Murray.

          • HawkfaninMT

            While I agree with you 1000000% he won’t be the pick…

            Even Rob mocked a CB to the Hawks with their first pick in his final mock last tear. The discussion is fine, IMO, but it will probably not happen

            • ZB

              To each his own.

  24. Volume12

    I really like the Seahawks up coming schedule.

    The 4 10 AM games are a tad concerning, but looking at the QBs they face it fills me with confidence. Other than the Rams, Pitt, N.O., and maybe Atlanta they face either a bunch of young QBs who just don’t have the patience to beat a PC D or some vet QBs who still don’t.

    • ZB

      I think our schedule is kind of middle of the pack difficult this year.

      • charlietheunicorn

        I’ve heard it was the 8th softest strength of schedule.

  25. Hawktalker#1

    I have been looking over a ton of mock drafts and trade possibilities for the Seahawks over the last couple of weeks. Obviously opinions are going to vary on what positions should be prioritized and which positions we take from our first to our last pick. Agreed, it’s challenging to finalize what to do in what order, but the answer is also going to be heavily determined by the value that exists at the point of each pick. All that being said and understanding we don’t know any of that in advance, I would be thrilled to death for us to pick up Rob’s suggested list of picks from his most recent mock draft and I’m not sure I can improve upon it. I watched a good amount of tape on each of them and I think we get a heavy upgrade with this group:

    Seven round Seahawks projection

    R2 (#33) — Terry McLaurin (WR, Ohio State)
    R3 (#85) — Charles Omenihu (DE, Texas)
    R3 (#93) — Marvell Tell (S, USC)
    R4 (#104) — Armon Watts (DT, Arkansas)
    R4 (#125) — Kaden Smith (TE, Stanford)
    R5 (#160) — Greg Gaines (DT, Washington)
    R6 (#216) — Derrek Thomas (CB, Baylor)

    Notes on each pick

    R2 (#33) — Terry McLaurin (WR, Ohio State)
    Special teams dynamo, willing blocker, fantastic athlete, playmaker.

    R3 (#85) — Charles Omenihu (DE, Texas)
    He has the size and length to play base-end and his short shuttle (4.36) will appeal.

    R3 (#93) — Marvell Tell (S, USC)
    Fantastic agility testing and length makes him an appealing hybrid DB.

    R4 (#104) — Armon Watts (DT, Arkansas)
    Terrific length and power to anchor vs the run with plus pass-rushing upside.

    R4 (#125) — Kaden Smith (TE, Stanford)
    One of the few TE’s in this class to run a sub-7.10 three-cone.

    R5 (#160) — Greg Gaines (DT, Washington)
    The Seahawks are reportedly interested in Gaines.

    R6 (#216) — Derrek Thomas (CB, Baylor)
    A converted receiver, Thomas looked like a Seahawks corner at the combine.

  26. Hawktalker#1

    Here is the previous mock:
    https://seahawksdraftblog.com/new-mock-draft-17th-february#comments

    I’d like to challenge the rest of the SDB community to suggest improved trades or draft picks for further debate. Thanks in advance.

    Go Hawks

    • Rob4q

      How about this:

      Original Picks
      R1 (21)
      R3 (85)
      R4 (125)
      R5 (160)

      Sea trades 21, Ethan Pocic to KC for 29, 93, 201
      (800 vs 780)

      Sea trades 29, CJ Prosise to TB for 39, 145, 215, Gerald McCoy
      (640 vs 549.9)

      R2 (39) – Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE Louisiana Tech
      R3 (85) – Gary Jennings, WR West Virginia
      R3 (93) – Trysten Hill, DT
      R4 (125) – Justin Hollins, EDGE Oregon
      R5 (145) – Drew Sample, TE Washington
      R5 (160) – Sheldrick Redwine, S/CB Miami
      R6 (201) – Evan Worthington, S Colorado
      R7 (215) – Lester Cotton Jr, OG Alabama

      UDFA signings:
      Darwin Thompson, RB Utah State
      Derrick Thomas, CB Baylor
      Jordan Brown, CB South Dakota St
      Calvin Anderson, OT Texas
      Nate Herbig, OG Stanford
      Drew Lewis, OLB Colorado
      Connor Strachan, OLB Boston College
      Joey Alfieri, OLB Stanford
      Chris Westry, CB Kentucky
      Ricky Neal, EDGE Northern Iowa
      Jerard Carter, DE Houston
      Stanley Morgan, WR Nebraska
      Jakobi Meyers, WR, NC State
      Alec Ingold, FB Wisconsin
      Brandon Fritts, TE North Carolina
      Trey Pipkins, OT Sioux Falls

      Free agent signings after the draft:
      Nick Perry, EDGE
      Danny Shelton, DT

      • cha

        Who do you propose they cut or restructure to free up the $13m to pay McCoy?

        • Rob4q

          McCoy would have to sign a new contract, and I bet he would be willing to do that to get out of TB and play for a playoff team!

    • Sea Mode

      I think we already did this in the comments on that article. Anyways, here were my suggestions:

      https://seahawksdraftblog.com/new-mock-draft-17th-february#comment-436097

  27. Alex Higgins

    I wonder if the Hawks are worried that Clark has not shown the dedication and drive to be a dominant player and that he seems mostly motivated by money. (Not judging him because I’m mostly motivated by money when I go to work.) . Lots of D Lineman have lost their motor after getting paid. I would expect that PC/JS know his make up a lot better than any of us. I expect the trade talk is real and that they have a lot of anxiety about signing him up for a bunch of guaranteed money. Just something to consider in all of this. Rather than debating his actual production, we should be wondering why the Hawks haven’t signed him and appear willing to trade him.

    • SoCal12

      I think that’s reading too much into it. Logic should be pretty simple. Frank will be expensive and they only have 4 draft picks. You gotta at least explore all options in that scenario even if you do want to extend. No need to make things complicated or fabricate stuff about someone’s character.

      • Alex Higgins

        I’m not fabricating. I’m speculating based on my own motivation around money. No offense toward Frank because I admit that I could be completely wrong.

      • Hawktalker#1

        +1

  28. charlietheunicorn

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001025384/article/analyticsbased-mock-draft-quinnen-williams-to-cards-qbs-fall

    I thought this was fun to read… not what will happen, but gives an idea as to which guys might be bigger reaches than others, from a numbers perspective.

  29. cha

    Jim Nagy

    Verified account

    @JimNagy_SB
    Follow Follow @JimNagy_SB
    More Jim Nagy Retweeted Adam Schefter
    For all those scoffing at a first-round pick for Clark, he has 32 sacks over the past 3 seasons. As hyped-up as this year’s EDGE class is, none of them have Clark’s rush talent. The only one I might take over Clark is Kentucky’s Josh Allen and that’s based on his versatility.

  30. Sea Mode

    RE: Khalen Saunders

    Jim Nagy
    @JimNagy_SB

    Replying to @NFL_DougFarrar

    It would shock me if he doesn’t go in Round 2.

    10:35 PM · Apr 21, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone

    • ZB

      He should go in round 2.

  31. Gohawks5151

    Things I learned from the Russell Wilson contract saga as it pertains to Frank Clark:

    1) The Seahawks value their guys more than anyone else. Though Russ is a star many potential partners would have a hard time giving up the sick that he was worth. Now people are scoffing at the price for Frank. They are worth more in this system than the penial return.

    2) A fair deal isn’t out of the question. It’s been said that if Seattle offered 22 -24 million the deal would be done yet. Not necessarily. Russ signed for 35 M who’s is both fair and less than most thought. Frank could still sign in the 22M range but the other contact details need to be ironed out. The negotiations need to play out.

    3) Market rate for top talent will age well. Russ will be the top paid QB for 2 years. After that it will explode. Same with the EDGE guys. Pay him if you believe his play will improve/continue.

    4) Deadlines spur deals. Said by a wise man on here. That’s when Russ deal got done. At least give it til July. He is here on the tag no matter what.

    • Rob Staton

      $22m a year is an incredible amount of money for Clark. If that’s where it’s at, nobody should be surprised they’re entertaining a trade.

      • Gohawks5151

        It is a lot. However QB and pass rush are tied strategically and financially. I think most are very confident that the cap will increase as will the contracts. Frank is young, productive, proven, a leader, wants to be here and is near his prime. He is an ideal candidate for money like this. If they want him I think they should do it. If they don’t sign him then who? They aren’t major free agency players so if they aren’t signing their own who is getting the money?

        • Rob Staton

          If they were prepared to pay Frank Clark $22m a year it’d be done by now and none of this trade talk would exist.

  32. Adog

    A bit of circus apprehends the suit and tie on Sundays in April. The boathouse on the lake is a leaker. I’m bamboozled that Sheftner is not plumbing the white House with his knack for these wing-dingers. I suppose it’s an traditional business tool when negotiations stagnate…leak to the press…and introduce perspective. Is it far fetched to predict that this deal will go the way that Russell’s deal went? It feels like a precedent, and it’s efficient so far…though uncanny.

    • Volume12

      ‘A bit of circus apprehends the suit and tie on Sundays in April. The boathouse on the lake is a leaker.’

      Man, what?

  33. EP

    I think we still definitely need to trade back from one of these first rounders. Hope to pick up a 3rd and another late rounder. First 4 picks in no particular order, 2 DL (one has to be and EDGE/LEO), WR and NCB. Come back in the second half of the draft and pick up a TE, outside CB project and another DL/WR, hopefully both if we can get 3 picks out of a trade back.

© 2024 Seahawks Draft Blog

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑