After handing Russell Wilsona massive payday, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider turns his attention to trying to lock down pass rusher Frank Clark to a long-term deal.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported last month that Clark doesn't plan on attending any offseason workouts -- mandatory or voluntary -- until he gets the deal he seeks. Clark is slated to earn $17 million on the franchise tag. If he does not sign the tender, he cannot be fined for skipping workouts this offseason.
Speaking during his yearly charity dinner and auction to support Ben's Fund, Schneider said he doesn't anticipate Clark to pull a Le'Veon Bell and miss real time.
"That's not my understanding at all," Schneider said, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. "We've had very direct conversations, both myself and Frank and people in the organization and Frank and obviously myself and his agent, Erik Burkhardt."
Understanding in the moment and reality down the road can be two sides to the same coin. With July 15 sitting as the cutoff to get a new deal done, it's possible both sides are posturing until the deadline spurs action.
It's possible for the report and Schneider to be correct. If sides can't agree by the deadline, Clark could skip training camp and show up when the regular season begins (i.e. when he starts actually getting paid to work), a move we saw from Aaron Donald a couple years ago.
When pressed on whether he expects Clark to show up to mandatory workouts -- the pass rusher skipped the start of voluntary work already -- Schneider had less conviction.
"(T)hat's obviously the expectation. But do I expect it? I have no idea," he said. "The only time we have been through this before (with a franchise tagged player) is with (kicker) Olindo Mare (in 2010)."
Per Condotta, Schneider didn't deny that the Seahawks would listen to trade offers for Clark.
"We are always trying to understand what the landscape is throughout the National Football League," he said. "If we didn't, we wouldn't be doing our job. We can't ever have our head in the sand with anything. But we love Frank, obviously. That's why we franchised him."
The Seahawks franchised Clark to ensure time to lock down their best pass rusher. Seattle brass took Wilson's self-imposed deadline down to the wire before striking a deal earlier this week. We could see a similar situation in play with a very real and firm deadline for Clark.
If a contract isn't done by July 15, then the question of whether the pass rusher will show up for training camp becomes heightened.
