Tag: Frank Clark

Broncos releasing pass rusher Frank Clark

The Broncos are releasing veteran pass rusher Frank Clark.

The Denver Broncos are releasing pass rusher Frank Clark, according to reports from NFL Network and ESPN.

Clark, 30, signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Broncos this summer after Baron Browning underwent knee surgery. With Browning now set to return from injured reserve, Clark was an expendable player for Denver.

Clark agreed to restructure his contract before the cut.

Clark split the first eight years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs. He totaled 72 sacks (including playoffs) and won two Super Bowls before joining the Broncos this offseason.

Clark failed to make an impact in Denver, dressing for only two games. He totaled zero sacks and had no quarterback hits through the first six weeks of the season.

The Broncos previously traded pass rusher Randy Gregory and a seventh-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round pick on Oct. 6. With the NFL’s trade deadline (Oct. 31) drawing closer, Denver might be looking to move more players in the coming days.

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5 players the Broncos should trade away (Jerry Jeudy!) after listless loss to Chiefs

After falling to 1-5, the miserable Broncos should start their rebuild by trading these players.

The Denver Broncos are 1-5. They have one of the worst defenses in NFL history and a financial albatross at quarterback (Russell Wilson) and head coach (Sean Payton). There are more blatant flaws in their roster construction and overall weekly game plans than there are any foundational bright spots that could inspire hope for the future.

It’s time for Denver to sound the alarms after looking lethargic in a 19-8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in front of a national audience Thursday night. It’s time for Sean Payton to stop brazenly lying to the Eastern Colorado media. It’s time for a trade firesale to start a proper rebuild of one of pro football’s worst teams. There’s plenty of time before the Halloween deadline to start making some calls, too.

I know what you’re thinking.

How could the Broncos provide any value to other teams, particularly those with actual goals on the field this year? Well, dear reader, just because Denver is out of it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have useful players. Playoff contenders (and other suitors) eye teams like the Broncos specifically because they know that there are still valuable pieces who could contribute in an NFL season stretch run.

Let’s dive right in and break down who the Broncos should be trading to start their rebuild with a war chest of draft picks as they, ideally, price gouge (desperate?) prospective teams.

Broncos will trade or cut OLB Frank Clark

The Broncos are moving on from veteran pass rusher Frank Clark.

Frank Clark’s time with the Denver Broncos is coming to an end.

The Broncos will release the veteran pass rusher if they are unable to find a trade partner, ESPN’s Field Yates confirmed Thursday morning. Clark restructured his contract on Wednesday and gave back $1.68 million, according to Yates. That could make a potential trade more feasible.

Reports emerged on Sunday that Denver is receiving trade calls about Clark, a 30-year-old pass rusher who joined the team in June on a one-year, $5.5 million contract. Clark has an impressive resume with 72 career sacks (including playoffs) and two Super Bowl rings, but he has failed to make an impact with the Broncos.

Clark has appeared in just two games this season with no sacks or quarterback hits in those contests. He is ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs with an “illness.”

Last week, the Broncos traded pass rusher Randy Gregory and a seventh-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round pick. A similar deal for Clark might be on the way.

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Frank Clark could be a good trade target for Rams following pay cut with Broncos

Frank Clark took a pay cut with the Broncos, making him much more tradable. The Rams should make a move to add the pass rusher.

Looking at the Rams’ roster, there’s no bigger need than edge rusher. That’s been the case since March after the team let Leonard Floyd go in a cost-saving move.

With the trade deadline approaching, Los Angeles would be wise to consider upgrading the pass rush around Aaron Donald – especially with Michael Hoecht struggling on a weekly basis. The team to call is probably the Broncos, who are on the verge of having a fire sale in Sean Payton’s first season.

The team already traded Randy Gregory and now Frank Clark is likely to be on the move. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Clark took a pay cut that lowered his salary to the minimum of $841,000. This was done to make it easier for the Broncos to move him, and according to Field Yates of ESPN, his time in Denver is ending whether it’s via trade or outright release.

Clark is a 30-year-old edge rusher with past character concerns and an expiring contract, so he’s not going to fetch very much on the trade market – especially if the Broncos plan to cut him anyway if a trade isn’t made. It could be a similar deal to the one the 49ers made for Gregory, which was a late-round pick swap in 2024.

The biggest benefit of this move is Clark’s lower salary. If the Rams were to trade for him, he’d only cost them $841,000 the rest of the season instead of about $2.5 million – a reduction of $1.679 million. So assuming they wouldn’t give up a very valuable pick, making this trade would be low-cost and thus, low-risk.

Los Angeles has Donald, who’s playing well, and Byron Young, who leads all rookies with six quarterback hits. But outside of that, there is very little pass-rush production on this team. Even with Ochaun Mathis back, the Rams could use some help on the edge and Clark could be just what the doctor ordered.

At the very least, Les Snead should call the Broncos to find out what it’d take to acquire Clark. If the cost is too high, fair enough. But in the event that it’d only take a late-round pick in 2025, Snead should consider making the move.

Sean Payton claims Broncos aren’t looking to trade players

Sean Payton says the Broncos aren’t looking to trade players, at least not at the moment.

Even before the Denver Broncos dropped to 1-4 on Sunday, teams started calling the club to gauge the possibility of making trades before the NFL’s trade deadline on Oct. 31.

The Broncos have received trade calls about left tackle Garett Bolles, edge rusher Frank Clark, safety Justin Simmons and wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, according to various reports.

Despite that interest, coach Sean Payton said after Tuesday’s practice that the team is not looking to trade players at the moment.

“George [Paton] and I talk every day, three-four times a day,” Payton said. “We’re not looking to do business with any of our players. That doesn’t prevent teams from calling at times, you know? So we pick the phone up, but that’s kind of where it’s at.”

Clark was not in attendance Tuesday, but Payton said he was absent due to illness.

NFL Network’s James Palmer reported Monday that there’s a sense in the locker room that “a potential teardown is coming.” That hasn’t happened yet, but if the Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday and drop to 1-5, perhaps Denver will reconsider its trade stance.

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Report: Teams calling Broncos about 5 players ahead of NFL trade deadline

Right now, the most likely trade candidate for the Broncos seems to be pass rusher Frank Clark. Teams are calling about other players, too.

As the NFL’s trade deadline approaches, teams are calling the Denver Broncos about a potential fire sale.

Going into Sunday’s showdown with the New York Jets, the Broncos are 1-3 and far outside the early playoff picture. Consequently, teams have called Denver about the trade statues of left tackle Garett Bolles, edge rusher Frank Clark, safety Justin Simmons and wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, according to a report from Armando Salguero of Outkick.com.

The Broncos fielding calls for Clark was also reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who noted that Clark would only cost his new team $1.21 million because Denver has already paid his $4.2 million signing bonus.

“[M]any sources around the league believe the Broncos would be willing to listen to trade interest in almost any player on the defensive side,” according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

One call about Simmons was a “short exchange,” according to Salguero, presumably a sign that he’s not on the trade block. Denver also seems unlikely to trade star cornerback Pat Surtain.

The Broncos apparently aren’t currently interested in trading “any” offensive players, according to The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini. That suggests Denver is not interested in parting with Jeudy or Sutton, at least at the moment, despite interest from multiple teams dating back to last season.

Right now, Clark seems like the most likely trade candidate. The Broncos previously traded pass rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers last week. The NFL’s trade deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 31.

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Broncos injury report: Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy limited

The Denver Broncos hope to get back Justin Simmons and Jerry Jeudy vs. the Bears.

The Denver Broncos have several injuries on the defensive side of the ball, with some big names not practicing on Thursday in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

Inside linebacker Josey Jewell, outside linebacker Frank Clark and defensive tackle Mike Purcell did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Jewell exited Sunday’s bloodbath against the Miami Dolphins with a hip injury.

Clark has been sidelined with a hip injury, which has significantly limited the Broncos pass rush. Denver was unable to put any pressure on Miami’s quarterbacks, or stop any of the running backs.

After sitting out Sunday, safety Justin Simmons is looking to get back into the lineup, and was limited Wednesday and Thursday. After having only two active safeties against the Dolphins, the Denver defensive backfield desperately needs Simmons’ leadership.

The Broncos receiving corps could also use a boost if wide receiver Jerry Jeudy finds himself back in the lineup. If he isn’t healthy, the Broncos will have to rely heavily on their rushing attack led by Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine.

The Broncos face the Chicago Bears on Sunday, with kickoff at 11 am.

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Broncos vs. Commanders: 5 things to watch for in Week 2

Here are five things to watch for when the Broncos host the Commanders in Week 2.

Week 2 of the NFL season brings the Washington Commanders to the Mile High City to face the Denver Broncos.

Broncos Wire examines five big storylines going into Sunday’s game.

Report: Broncos OLB Frank Clark expected to miss a couple weeks

Broncos outside linebacker Frank Clark (hip) is expected to be sidelined for a couple weeks.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Frank Clark is expected to miss “a couple weeks” after suffering a hip injury in Wednesday’s practice, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Clark is not expected to play against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. After that, he will have a “week-to-week” status going forward.

The 30-year-old pass rusher signed a one-year, $5.51 million contract with the Broncos in June after Baron Browning underwent knee surgery. Browning will be eligible to return from the reserve/physically unable to perform list in Week 5.

While Clark and Browning are sidelined, the team’s top remaining outside linebackers are Randy Gregory, Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto and rookie Thomas Incoom. Denver also has rookie Marcus Haynes available on the practice squad.

Clark served as a rotational pass rusher in the team’s season opener last week, totaling two tackles. The 10th-year veteran has recorded 58.5 sacks in 121 career games, spending time with the Seahawks and Chiefs before joining the Broncos this summer.

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Broncos need more from their pass rush in Week 2

The Broncos had no sacks and no quarterback hits in Week 1. Denver’s pass rushers have generate more pressure in Week 2.

The Denver Broncos will need more production from their pass against the Washington Commanders this week than they got against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1.

That shouldn’t be hard to accomplish given that the team’s pass rush was just about non-existent last week. Broncos outside linebackers Randy Gregory, Jonathon Cooper, Frank Clark and Nik Bonitto combined to total just two “pressures” and zero quarterback hits against the Raiders.

After a 17-16 loss, Denver players attributed the lack of pressure in part to the quick release of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. 

“I know we did not have any sacks today, but I think going into the game if you look at ‘Jimmy G,’ I mean it is very well known to get the ball out quick,” defensive end Zach Allen said.

“He’s very smart, like I said earlier in the week, he knows where the ball is going before the ball is even snapped. So obviously you just can’t get frustrated. I think there was some good wins out there but obviously we can improve in every aspect.”

Broncos edge defender Randy Gregory noted that Denver was focused on stopping the run, which they did relatively well. Las Vegas running back Josh Jacobs was limited to 48 yards on 19 carries, averaging just 2.5 yards per rush.

“I do not feel like [Garoppolo] dropped back much early on,” Gregory said. “[They] did a good job of running the ball, taking shots when they needed to and getting the play action when they needed to. I know for me that probably messed me up a little bit.

“As a pass rusher, you would like to get a little bit more opportunities for one-on-one rushes and to see him drop back more. I think we had a good game plan to stop the run. We just need to cut down on some of the explosive plays and make plays when we need to.”

The Broncos will likely be helped by the eventual return of outside linebacker Baron Browning, who is eligible to be activated from the reserve/physically unable to perform list in Week 5. In the meantime, Gregory, Cooper, Clark and Bonitto have to create more pressure, even when the game flow makes it difficult.

Denver should have an easier time generating pressure when the team faces the Washington Commanders and second-year QB Sam Howell in Week 2. Howell was sacked six times in Washington’s season opener.

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