The Baltimore Ravens have many leaders on their defensive unit, but one player who has stepped up in a big way is safety Chuck Clark. The fifth-year player has taken on a multitude of roles for Baltimore, including wearing the green dot, which is the responsibility of the person who calls out plays to the defense and helps get everyone situated and lined up before the snap.
Clark’s development into a leader at the NFL level has been a phenominal transformation. He’s embraced his role, and it’s shown both in his level of play and the way he carries himself and approaches the game. When asked about undrafted safety Ar’Darius Washington, Clark praised the former TCU product, but also dropped in the fact that he watched the film from rookie minicamp.
“Yes, I watched the rookie minicamp [tape]. And like you just said, he’s around the ball a lot – making a few breaks on the ball, [he’s] looking good.”
When asked to confirm that he looked at the rookie minicamp film, Clark said he watched it to see who’s coming in and how they move around.
“Yes – like I said, there’s guys coming in who you want to see, who’s out there, who knows a little bit about the game, how they move around and whatnot. So, yes, I watched it.”
The fact that Clark takes the time to dive into rookie minicamp film is just another reason why he is so highly respected within the organization. He puts in countless hours of work in order to be the best player that he can be, and small things like this show it. He is also known as a player with a very high football IQ, so he can take what he sees from young players like Washington and help them develop.
As both a player and a person, Clark fits the Ravens’ culture. He plays hard, can line up at multiple different positions when asked, works tirelessly to get better, and sets a good example. He is the glue that holds Baltimore’s defense together, and he is extremely valuable to the team both on and off of the field.