14-08-2019, 12:04 PM
RENTON Dion Jordan Color Rush Jersey , Wash. (AP) — As Frank Clark continued to impress in the final season of his rookie contract, the Seattle Seahawks kept saying he would be part of their long-term plans.The Seahawks stayed true to that, but for now it’s just for the 2019 season. Seattle used the franchise tag Monday on Clark, keeping the former second-round pick and top pass rusher from hitting the free-agent market.Clark will be due $17,128,000 this season if the sides do not come to an agreement on a long-term deal by July 15 and he plays under the franchise tag. Both sides have indicated a desire to keep Clark in Seattle for more than just one more season.“Frank and I, we have a great relationship. The communication has been great. There’s a strong level of trust between the two of us,” general manager John Schneider said at the NFL combine last week.Clark proved his worth as an elite pass rusher with a career-high 13 sacks in 2018, the first season he didn’t have veterans Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril helping him get to the quarterback. 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.But Seattle decided not to let that happen, using its franchise tag for the first time since 2010, when it was used on kicker Olindo Mare. Seattle used the non-exclusive franchise designation on Clark, meaning he could sign with another team but Seattle would get two first-round picks from his new team.The pressure on Clark last season was significant as the one proven pass rusher the Seahawks had coming off the edge. Clark had 19 sacks in the previous two seasons, but that was playing in a rotation with Bennett and Avril Tedric Thompson Color Rush Jersey , with all three often rushing together in passing situations.Last year was the chance for Clark to prove he could handle being the focus. His performance made him a ton of money in 2019 and likely beyond. Clark and Jarran Reed made up one of three teammate duos to finish with double-digit sacks in 2018, joining the Kansas City combo of Chris Jones and Dee Ford, and Denver’s Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.“It’s been marvelous to watch him grow. He’s grown within the program,” coach Pete Carroll said of Clark late last season. “How many years has he been here? Four? Yeah, so it’s like he’s a senior now and he’s acting like it. He’s embraced the opportunity and the role.”Clark was selected with the 63rd overall pick of the 2015 draft. He entered the NFL with a checkered past off the field during college at Michigan, but has so far not gotten into trouble as a professional. He’s played in 62 of 64 regular-season games in his four seasons.“He’s just grown up right before our eyes and he speaks so clearly about how it all works together,” Carroll said. What a terrible terrible loss.This should’ve been the day for the Seattle Seahawks (8-6) to clinch a playoff spot by beating the San Francisco 49ers (4-10). Instead they committed a ton of penalties, played sloppy football, went overly conservative, and deservedly lost 26-23 despite two touchdowns by Doug Baldwin and a 100+ yard performance by Chris Carson.Special Teams was a huge liability with a missed PAT by Sebastian Janikowski, a kick return for a touchdown, multiple penalties on returns, a muffed kick by Tyler Lockett Ethan Pocic Color Rush Jersey , it was all a disaster.1st HalfThe 49ers received the ball and went three-and-out, although the Seahawks dodged a bullet when Nick Mullens overthrew an open George Kittle on 3rd and 2. Seattle started off with great field position and took advantage right away, as a great Tyler Lockett double move on 3rd down led to a 28-yard gain to San Francisco’s 25. Chris Carson converted on a 3rd and 1 on a toss play to the 49ers’ 6. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Russell Wilson found Doug Baldwin on the fade for the score. 6-0 Seahawks after the missed PAT.The joy was short-lived, as Richie James Jr took the ensuing kick back for a touchdown. 97 yards with not much trouble. 7-6 49ers.A punt from the 49ers 40 on 4th and short pinned them at the 1. A fumbled snap in the end zone was negated by a Jarran Reed offsides penalty. The Niners had success moving the ball down the field, but a big run by Jeff Wilson Jr ended in a fumble forced by Bradley McDougald and recovered by Tre Flowers at the Seattle 28.Seattle gave up a 98-yard touchdown drive with ease, as Nick Mullens beat blitzes and found gaping holes in the secondary, including a 41-yard strike to Garrett Celek as Tedric Thompson slipped. 14-6 49ers.The Seahawks offense struck back courtesy of a 24-yard run by Chris Carson on a toss play, followed shortly by a ridiculous Russell Wilson scramble play to Doug Baldwin for a 35-yard score. 14-13 49ers.Nick Mullens again sliced apart a poor Seahawks defense, but Tre Flowers made a great 3rd down pass break-up in the red-zone to hold the 49ers to a field goal, which would be the halftime score. 17-13 49ers.2nd HalfThe two teams alternated punts to start the 2nd half, but then the Seahawks defense and special teams gifted the 49ers literally 45 yards of penalties on the way to the red zone. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Jeff Wilson Jr basically killed a potential TD drive and forced them into a field goal. 20-13 49ers. Seattle’s offense finally got into gear again through the run game, as Chris Carson hit a couple of big chunk plays. They got all the way down to the 49ers’ 1 but couldn’t punch it in on three downs. On 4th and goal Shaquill Griffin Color Rush Jersey , Chris Carson was stuffed... until he wasn’t. He kept his legs churning and got some help from Duane Brown to break the plane to tie the game in the 4th quarter. 20-20.Nick Mullens wasted no time finding Dante Pettis deep for a huge gain on Shaquill Griffin. A debatable DPI on Delano Hill then got them out of a 1st and 20 jam. Luckily the Seahawks defense held firm after that and forced Robbie Gould to come onto the field, but he converted his 45-yard field goal. 23-20 49ers.A generous roughing the passer penalty gave the Seahawks free 15 yards on the first play of the potential go-ahead drive. On 3rd down, Doug Baldwin got a free release and Wilson found him for 27 yards deep into 49ers territory. Unfortunately a crucial holding on JR Sweezy negated a Mike Davis first-down run, and Wilson was sacked on 3rd down but still in FG range. Seabass from 48... GOOD. 23-23 with 5:21 left. The Seahawks pass rush showed up in a big way on the next possession, getting a sack and two pressures on Mullens to force a three-and-out. Germain Ifedi committed a bad holding penalty on a 3rd down conversion by Mike Davis, which led to the Seahawks punting right back. Jarran Reed had a big sack after the Niners converted a first-down.After a Trent Taylor drop, Reed came through with another sack to force the punt. Unfortunately, Malik Turner had a penalty on the punt return that cost them some field position with 1:38 to go at their own 27.First play was a short dumpoff to Mike Davis. Another Davis checkdown got them to their own 43 with 1:02 to go. A big Davis run led to another holding penalty. The 2nd and 15 pass was incomplete. The deep ball to David Moore was incomplete, so overtime it is. OvertimeTyler Lockett inexcusably took the kickoff out of the end zone, fumbling it and then picking it up before getting wrecked at his own 15. JD McKissic got a big catch on 3rd down towards midfield... but a holding negated it. Ethan Pocic again. That meant a punt and the 49ers getting the ball at their own 39.After a massive hit by Poona Ford, Shaquill Griffin was flagged for DPI. A couple of runs by Jeff Wilson put them into FG range inside the 20. They brought on Robbie Gould for the game-winning field goal from 36 yards out...good. 26-23 49ers.Seahawks injury reportRB Mike Davis limped off the field at the end of the 1st half but returned to the game in the 3rd quarter.S Bradley McDougald suffered a knee injury in the 1st half and did not return.G Jordan Simmons went down in the 3rd quarter with a knee injury and was replaced by Ethan Pocic.RB Chris Carson took a hard hit from Richard Sherman in the 4th quarter. His injury was not disclosed but he did return. Next week’s opponentThe Seahawks play on Sunday Night Football on December 23rd against the Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) at 5:20 PM PT on NBC.