Seattle's top pass rusher is being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Seattle Seahawks traded DE Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs for a first-round draft pick this year, the 29th overall pick. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Seahawks also get a second-round pick in 2020. The teams will swap third-round picks. Clark proved his worth as a pass rusher with a career-high 13 sacks in 2018. It was the first season he didn't have the assistance of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. They were the most sacks by any Seattle player since 2007 and put Clark in line for a massive payday should he hit the open market, the Associated Press previously reported. However, that didn't happen. Seattle instead used its franchise tag to keep the former second-round pick from hitting the free-agent market. According to Schefter, the Chiefs and Clark reached a 5-year, $105.5 million agreement.<doc-sep>The Seattle Seahawks traded Frank Clark to Kansas City, according to reports Tuesday morning. The Seahawks traded the defensive end (and a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft) to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City’s first- and third-round picks in the 2019 draft and a second-round pick in the 2020 draft. Seahawks agreed to trade their franchise player, DE Frank Clark, to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2019 first-round pick, a 2020 second-round pick and an exchange of third-round picks this year, per league sources. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 23, 2019 Clark, in his fifth season, is coming off a career year in 2018. Clark posted a career-high 13 sacks and the Seahawks had placed a franchise tag on him for the 2019 season. Clark was going to earn $17 million under the tag for the 2019 season. However, Clark was seeking a long-term deal, prompting Seahawks general manager John Schneider to say that it would difficult for the Seahawks to sign Clark, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and defensive tackle Jarran Reed to long-term deals. Schneider was hoping to acquire draft picks in exchange for Clark. The Seahawks had only four picks in the 2019 NFL draft, but now have six, including two first-round picks (No. 21, 29). -- Geoffrey C. Arnold | @geoffreyCarnold<doc-sep>Trading Frank Clark leaves the Seattle Seahawks in dire need of edge rushers. Don't blame Russell Wilson's massive contract for that. Those are the two thoughts that come to mind with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that the Seahawks will send Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for the 29th overall pick, a 2020 second-rounder and a swap of this year's thirds. The easy conclusion to draw is that the Seahawks couldn't afford to pay Clark after signing Wilson to the richest deal in NFL history. Certainly, paying their franchise quarterback $35 million on average with a new deal would put a big dent in their bank account. But it's not that simple. Teams can usually find a way to keep their very best players -- if the two sides can agree on a price, that is. The Seahawks and Clark might have not been all that close. It was logical that Clark and his agent, Erik Burkhardt, would seek a deal that topped DeMarcus Lawrence's $20 million average. The new contract Clark is getting with Kansas City will see him potentially earning $105.5 million over five years to Lawrence's $105 million over the same period of time. Clark is, at 25, a year younger, he's been healthier and he's been more productive over the past three seasons. And when Burkhardt spoke to ESPN last October, he mentioned that Clark was in the best position he would ever be to maximize his earnings. Could questions about Rashan Gary's health allow him to slip to the Seahawks in the first round? Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Seahawks general manager John Schneider didn't deny that he was listening to trade offers for Clark when the subject came up in recent interviews. He said last week that the Seahawks had budgeted for Clark at the $17.128 million franchise-tag number for 2019. That comment was one indication that the team wasn't hopeful about getting a long-term deal done with Clark this offseason. And while Schneider didn't shoot down the possibility of a trade, he also didn't give the impression that the Seahawks were in any hurry to deal Clark. It was the same reasoning that kept Richard Sherman in Seattle in 2017 after the Seahawks publicly dangled him in trade talks. Same for Earl Thomas during his contract dispute last season. The Seahawks weren't going to give either player away knowing that he could still help them for at least another season. The only way they would part with Clark was if the offer blew them out of the water. This one did. The Seahawks entered Tuesday with a league-low four picks in this week's draft, which included no second-rounder and only one selection in the top 80. Adding another first-rounder changes the outlook dramatically, with Seattle now owning pick Nos. 21 and 29 in addition to a third-rounder (92), fourth (124) and fifth (159). But it also leaves them without a star pass-rusher, easily making that the biggest area of need heading into Thursday's first round. Free-agent pickup Cassius Marsh (5.5) is their only edge player who had more than five sacks last season. Of those who were with Seattle last season, no edge player other than Clark had more than three sacks. Coach Pete Carroll has talked up Jacob Martin, saying the 2018 sixth-rounder is in line for more snaps this season after flashing promise as a rookie. But at 245 pounds, Martin still projects as a rotational player who will give the Seahawks around 20 snaps per game as opposed to someone who can be counted on to approach double-digit sacks right away. Rasheem Green, last year's third-round pick, had an underwhelming season, as did Nazair Jones, who is being moved to defensive end after playing inside his first two seasons. Seattle's other edge-rushing options include Nate Orchard, a free-agent pickup who didn't receive any guaranteed money and is no lock to make the team. The cupboard isn't quite bare, but it's far from stocked. It's a good thing for the Seahawks that this draft is loaded with edge rushers. "It really stands out," Schneider told KIRO-AM 710 ESPN Seattle earlier this month. "I haven't seen this before. ... It's like what flavor of ice cream do you like? Do you want a big run-stuffer? Do you want a quick 3-technique? Do you want five edge rushers?" Even as unpredictable as the Seahawks have been early in the draft under Schneider and Carroll, selecting an edge rusher with their top pick seems likely. Rashan Gary's production at Michigan left a lot to be desired, but his athleticism and tools could be hard to pass up if concerns about his shoulder injury cause him to fall into the second half of the first round. This, of course, assumes the Seahawks are comfortable with his medical situation. Clemson's Clelin Ferrell and Florida State's Brian Burns are other intriguing possibilities. If the Seahawks stay put at No. 21, a trade back from No. 29 into the second round would seem likely. Even with the extra first-rounder, Seattle still has only five picks and no doubt will want to add more. Given Doug Baldwin's uncertain future as he comes off his third surgery of the offseason, wide receiver would be in play with Seattle's second pick, wherever that ends up being. Either way, edge rusher is much more of a need for the Seahawks than it was while Clark was still in their plans.<doc-sep>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs acquired pass rusher Frank Clark from the Seattle Seahawks for a package of picks Tuesday, then quickly agreed with him on a $105 million, five-year contract, as they continue to overhaul their much-maligned defence. The Chiefs sent the No. 29 overall pick in this year’s draft and a second-round pick in 2020 to Seattle, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke about the trade terms and contract details on condition of anonymity because they were pending a physical. Clark planned to head to Kansas City to complete that in the next 48 hours. The trade, first reported by the NFL Network, also includes a swap of third-round picks in this year’s draft. That means the Chiefs will move up eight spots on Friday night. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said last week that he was aggressively trying to upgrade the defence, and he acknowledge the window for winning a Super Bowl title began last season. That’s when Patrick Mahomes took over at quarterback and had an MVP season as a first-time starter, leading Kansas City to a third straight AFC West title and the conference championship game. "We want to take the next step," Veach said. "Certainly, it goes without saying our offence we pretty efficient last year and I think we are always looking to improve and get better." Seattle already had the 21st pick overall pick Thursday night, and now general manager John Schneider has an additional first-day selection as he begins rebuilding his own defence. Clark was chosen by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2015 draft, though most agreed he was a first-round talent docked by off-the-field concerns. But he quickly became a dependable edge rusher, piling up 36 sacks over his first four seasons with a team-best 14 this past season. The Seahawks placed the franchise tag on him after the season, but Clark had yet to sign the $17.128 million deal as rumours of a trade swirled. Several other teams also inquired about landing him ahead of the draft as Seattle tried to accumulate additional picks. "This time, and the trade deadline, there’s some speculation about a lot of players," Schneider said on Monday. "We’re involved in a lot of deals. We take a lot of pride in that. We wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we weren’t listening to everybody." Kansas City ultimately won the bidding for him. Veach has spent most of the off-season rebuilding one of the league’s worst defences, one that played a key role in their AFC title game collapse. They lost in overtime to New England when the Patriots won the coin toss, marched downfield and scored the winning touchdown in a 37-31 victory — never giving Mahomes and one of the NFL’s most potent offences a chance with the ball. In a matter of days, the Chiefs fired defensive co-ordinator Bob Sutton, hired new co-ordinator Steve Spagnuolo and began sifting through their personnel as they switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 system. They got rid of longtime safety Eric Berry and high-priced linebackers Justin Houston and Dee Ford, sending the latter to San Francisco for a second-round pick next year, and carved out enough cap space to find replacements. They signed safety Tyrann Mathieu, cornerback Bashaud Breeland, linebacker Damien Wilson and defensive end Alex Okafor in free agency, then traded safety Eric Murray to former GM John Dorsey and the Cleveland Browns for defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. All told, the Chiefs have signed or traded for five new defensive starters. "We didn’t win the Super Bowl," Veach said, "so we can get better. I think all across the board, there is talent that we can acquire, and we can get more depth on both sides of the football. I think that’s what makes it fun and exciting. There’s certainly some specific areas that may be more apparent. But I think the things you do in free agency protect yourself in the draft, so you don’t have to take a player that you feel is a second- or third-round value in the first round." The Seahawks have also been busy retooling their defence this off-season, adding defensive ends Cassius Marsh and Nate Orchard as they shopped Clark. They are expected to continue to target help in the pass rush and the defensive backfield in the first couple of rounds of the draft. The additional first-round pick Thursday night also gives Seattle some flexibility. Schneider has a tendency to move around in drafts, and it’s possible the Seahawks could trade down and acquire additional picks. They still only have five selections overall, and in nine previous drafts in charge, Schneider has never made fewer than eight selections.<doc-sep>
Defensive end Frank Clark #55 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts after making a stop against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks have agreed in principle to trade defensive end Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. According to Schefter, the Chiefs will send their 2019 first-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for Clark. The teams also agreed to exchange third round picks in the 2019 Draft, Schefter reported. Clark and the Chiefs have agreed to a 5-year $105.5 million contract with $63.5 million guaranteed that will become official when the trade is finalized by the NFL, according to Schefter. In response to the trade, Clark sent the following statement to ESPN's Josina Anderson: "They (Seattle) had other plans. It got to a point where Seattle had used me for everything I had for them already. At the end of the day it's a business... look down the history... when you're playing in Seattle it's not common that they plan to have players around for the long run. It's obvious. It's evident.. but I'm blessed & thankful to be part of their organization. John (Schneider) & Pete (Carroll) drafted (me) back in 2015. It just sucks that we weren't able to get something done because they knew how I felt about being in Seattle and how I feel about my future, and I feel like at the end of the day it was all ignored. But it is part of the business... and you have the play your cards right in this game." Report: Seahawks to trade defensive end Frank Clarkhttps://t.co/ENN0XRqEFH pic.twitter.com/jj8yJe66ol — KIRO 7 (@KIRO7Seattle) April 23, 2019 Clark, 25, recorded 38 sacks in 67 career games for the Seahawks The Seahawks selected Clark in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of the University of Michigan. In 2018, Clark finished sixth in the NFL with 14 sacks in 16 regular-season games and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week following his 2.5-sack, two forced-fumble performance in the Seahawks’ 27-3 win over the Raiders in London. The Seahawks finished last season with a 10-6 regular-season record before losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. More news from KIRO 7 DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP Cox Media Group