SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks are expected to sign edge rusher Frank Clark to a one-year deal, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday, reinforcing their defensive front after losing outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu for the rest of the season.
Clark, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who spent his first four seasons with the Seahawks, had interest from several teams but wanted to return to where he began his career, a source told Schefter.
Clark, 30, has been a free agent since the Denver Broncos released him Oct. 14, roughly four months after signing him to a one-year, $5.45 million contract. He played only two games with Denver, recording two tackles on 36 defensive snaps.
The Seahawks drafted Clark in the second round in 2015 and traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs shortly before the 2019 draft for a package that included a first- and second-round pick.
The reunion with Seattle comes on the heels of the Seahawks losing Nwosu — their best edge player — to a pec injury last Sunday that will require season-ending surgery. Clark will be added to a mix that includes Boye Mafe, Darrell Taylor and rookie second-round pick Derick Hall.
Clark recorded 35 sacks in 62 regular-season games with the Seahawks, becoming a starter in 2017 after spending his first two seasons as a rotational rusher. The Seahawks used the franchise tag on Clark after the 2018 season, setting him up to make $17.128 million in 2019, but traded him to Kansas City in part because they didn’t think they’d be able to re-sign him the following offseason.
He signed a five-year, $104 million extension upon the trade and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons with the Chiefs, totaling 18.5 sacks in that span while helping Kansas City to a victory in Super Bowl LIV. He had five sacks in 15 games for the Chiefs last season.
Overall, he has 58.5 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in nine NFL seasons.