Green Bay Packers should make a trade offer for Frank Clark

If the rumors are true that the Seattle Seahawks could be shopping edge rusher Frank Clark, the Green Bay Packers should be one of the teams making an offer.

The last 36 hours or so have been consumed by Antonio Brown trade talks and has left many wondering where he will end up. But as Jay Glazer of Fox Sports had said, don’t let all of the Brown trade talks distract you from the fact that there are a number of top edge rushers potentially available via trade.

While at this point we do not know how serious these trade talks are or if they will happen, we do know that Glazer has a great reputation when it comes to reporting news around the NFL, so I would imagine that as of now the Seattle Seahawks are at least listening to other teams.

This offseason the Green Bay Packers have a number of positional needs that must be addressed but perhaps there isn’t any more important than finding that impact edge rusher. While most fans would agree this is the case, it also appears to be a top priority from those within Lambeau Field as it has been reported that the Packers plan to spend on a pass rusher this offseason.

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Many expect the Green Bay Packers to address the edge need with the 12th overall pick, but in regards to the Khalil Mack trade, GM Brian Gutekunst was quite aggressive so it isn’t out of the question that trading for an edge rusher is a possibility.

Frank Clark was drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Michigan and has been the Seahawks most effective pass rusher these past few seasons. Recently, Seattle decided to franchise tag Clark, which will give them control for another season.

As one of the better edge rushers in the league and still not even 26-years-old, it would seem odd that Seattle would franchise tag Clark, rather than offer a long-term deal. However, Seattle is at a crossroads and may be looking to rebuild, which would make the potential Clark trade even more likely.

Last season, Clark was a beast and put up fantastic numbers. On the year, he recorded 13 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits and added three forced fumbles along with an interception. The 2018 season wasn’t a fluke either, he has consistently been doing this since he was drafted. Over his career, Clark has 35 sacks and 72 quarterback hits. The Green Bay Packers could desperately use that kind of production from the edge position.

If the Packers did acquire Clark, they would inherit his franchise tag, which in 2019 will cost $17.1 million a year for a defensive end. Yes, that is a hefty contract, but Green Bay would be getting one of the better edge rushers in the league who is still 25-years-old. If you want to bring in a player of Clark’s talent, then you have to pay.

This is a very deep draft class at edge rusher that the Packers could use to address their need, but as we know in football, there is no guarantee that the player will pan out. When Green Bay drafts an edge rusher, they would be thrilled if he turned into the caliber of player that Frank Clark is, so why not go and get Frank Clark?

As of now, we can only speculate what the Packers would have to give up in draft capital to acquire Clark, but it would most likely include the 12th overall pick in this years draft, along with a second or third rounder in 2020, and possibly a mid to late rounder to top it off. Although it won’t be as expensive, taking a look at what the Chicago Bears gave up for Khalil Mack could give us a better idea of what to expect.

Even if they had to give up the 12th pick, Green Bay would still have pick 30 to address another need that they have, but they would know they secured a top-tier edge rusher in Clark.

Currently, this may just be speculation and rumors but regardless, Gutekunst should be on the phone with Seattle checking in and seeing if this is a possibility. The Green Bay Packers need a young talented playmaker at the edge position and Frank Clark will give them just that.