Roster building in the NFL is an exceptionally difficult task. Most of the time, it becomes an exercise in balancing the roster’s talent with the affordability of contracts, and it necessitates a give-and-take to try to get the best players at a bargain. The most common problem that this creates is usually a vulnerability with depth at a certain position, but, occasionally, it presents the opposite: having too much of a good thing.
That is the position I fear the Ravens may be in with Chuck Clark.
It’s no secret that the Ravens are coming off of a season in which they were decimated by injury, forcing the remaining healthy players to handle added responsibility. Clark was no exception as the loss of CBs Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey placed that much more of a burden on the safeties to try to patrol the secondary. Clark responded by registering 80 tackles (2nd on the team behind LB Patrick Queen), 12 passes defended, and the first multi-interception season of his career.
Despite Clark’s valiant effort, the season ended with a losing slide for the Ravens that saw them drop out of the postseason picture. Clark voiced the message from Baltimore’s locker room: we’ll be back with a vengeance.
"Watch how we bounce back." @ChuckC36 pic.twitter.com/wA3VmVbpNo
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 9, 2022
Between Clark’s vocal leadership and a strong season last year, there was no version of events that I could foresee that wouldn’t include #36 returning.
What a difference a few months of the offseason can make.
Safety wasn’t the highest priority entering the offseason, but speculation swirled about DeShon Elliott’s future with the team. In a surprising move, the Ravens landed a big fish in free agency by inking safety Marcus Williams to a lucrative 5-year contract.
Marcus Williams (Ravens) five years, $70 million, $35.965M gtd, $14.965M signing bonus, salaries $1.035M (gtd), $1.08M (gtd), $12M ($5M gtd at signing, skill cap if on roster 5th day 2023 lg yr, $12M, $14M; 2026 option year to be optioned prior to start of 2023 lg yr
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 21, 2022
I can’t pretend that I know how Clark responded to the Williams signing itself, but, if I had to guess, he didn’t take issue with a new high-profile running mate bringing a little more stability to the secondary. However, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec reported early last week that there were indications Clark was unhappy about his contract situation…likely due to the price tag of the newcomer.
I don’t know if he’s officially asked for a trade. That I cannot confirm. Do know that he’s apparently unhappy with how a few things have played out this offseason. There’s certainly something there.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 1, 2022
Then, of course, the first evening of the Draft saw premier safety Kyle Hamilton fall into Baltimore’s lap, and, all of the sudden, Clark started being viewed as a third wheel. For the record, that isn’t my personal opinion: ESPN lists Clark behind Hamilton on the Ravens’ depth chart at strong safety, and a PFF graphic touting Baltimore’s formidable secondary showed Peters, Humphrey, Hamilton, and Williams… while Clark was noticeably absent.
The Ravens already had a playmaking ball hawk (Marcus Williams), a green-dot wearer (Chuck Clark) and a young hybrid (Brandon Stephens) at safety.
Now here comes Kyle Hamilton, considered a generational safety prospect before a slow 40 time. https://t.co/O8K4CQwVAS
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) April 29, 2022
If you look at it from His perspective, he’s on team friendly deal. They go out this offseason and spend ton on young safety. They draft a safety first. Not hard to connect dots there. You start looking at your own future and it’s easy to conclude, well next year I’m prolly gone
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 2, 2022
These reports were followed shortly thereafter with everyone’s favorite: the Twitter blackout, as Clark unfollowed the Ravens and removed his profile picture and banner. To make matters worse, it looks like even Tyler Linderbaum is getting involved with the safety grouping!
Ravens first-round safety Tyler Linderbaum: “At the end of the day, football is football. We’re running similar stuff just different verbiage.” pic.twitter.com/wFJ0N5TqBm
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 7, 2022
I’m obviously joking about that last one (I’m glad Jeff was a good sport about his clerical error). Jeff did give us a nice follow-up piece about where things stand between Clark and the team, among other updates.
Ravens news, notes and opinions: The Chuck Clark situation, the most relevant question in regards to interest in Jarvis Landry and Ravens rookie minicamp observations: https://t.co/akxX9QehIK
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 9, 2022
Placing myself in Clark’s shoes for a moment, I can understand some of his frustration. Following one of the best seasons of his career, he’s now watching a highly-touted rookie and a free agent, both newcomers, crowd him on a depth chart where he’s the elder statesman at safety. I can’t imagine that seeing Hamilton receive the green dot at rookie mini-camp is doing anything to dissuade his apprehensions, though, as Jeff pointed out, someone has to wear the signal-calling headset.
For my part, I really hope he stays with the team because, like Kevin Oestreicher, I keep imagining what Mike Macdonald could with three-safety looks involving those guys.
It’d be so nice to see the Ravens use three-safety looks with Chuck Clark, Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) May 7, 2022
When asked about Clark, Coach Harbaugh seemed to be optimistic that Clark would still play a prominent role in the defense this coming season.
John Harbaugh said he plans on Chuck Clark being here after the Ravens drafted safety Kyle Hamilton in the first round.
"To me, Chuck is a big part of the team," Harbaugh said. "I love Chuck Clark. I love the way he plays. I'm very happy he's a Raven."
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) May 7, 2022
Planning around Clark’s presence would certainly seem to suggest that, at least for now, there are no plans to trade him. Still, as Hollywood Brown’s recent departure suggests, an absence of trade rumors doesn’t mean that potential trade conversations aren’t happening.
Fingers crossed that this is the bounce-back year that Chuck Clark envisioned, and, when it is, I sincerely hope he’s a part of it.
