The Ravens made their first transfer to clear wage cap house, agreeing to commerce sturdy security Chuck Clark to the New York Jets for an undisclosed draft decide, the workforce introduced Wednesday.
The transfer, which ESPN and NFL Community reported is for a 2024 seventh-round choice, saves the Ravens about $4.1 million on their 2023 wage cap. Baltimore wanted to clear about $9 million by Wednesday to adjust to the cap, and Clark, 27, was getting into the final yr of his deal.
The 2017 sixth-round select of Virginia Tech grew to become a starter in 2019 and performed nearly each defensive snap every of the previous three seasons. He made 101 tackles, defended 4 passes and compelled a fumble for a move protection that ranked eleventh in Soccer Outsiders’ DVOA in 2022.
Clark was sad when the Ravens signed Marcus Williams in free company final offseason then used a first-round draft decide on Kyle Hamilton. However coaches praised his professionalism within the wake of these strikes, and he finally began beside Williams, with Hamilton thriving because the Ravens’ nickel again.
“It was robust to start with, actually,” Clark stated after the season. “The folks round right here, they may let you know, I used to be pissed off. It was mentally difficult. I overcame it, and as soon as I began balling, I received in my consolation zone — getting on the market on the sector and getting again to it.”
However with Williams signed long-term, Hamilton headed for an even bigger position and monetary constraints created by the nonexclusive franchise tag the Ravens utilized to quarterback Lamar Jackson, Clark grew to become an apparent candidate to be minimize or traded.
He knew as a lot when he spoke to reporters the day after the Ravens’ season ended with a playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Oh, sure, undoubtedly,” he stated when requested if he’d prefer to be again in Baltimore. “That is the workforce that drafted me; I’ve been right here [for] all my profession; I’m snug right here; I do know the opposite guys, the locker room, the setting. I don’t know. Typically, you’ve received to step out of your consolation zone. You by no means know what’s going to occur.”
With Clark headed to New York, Hamilton will probably be anticipated to begin at security after he blossomed enjoying in the course of the protection final season.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated final week that Hamilton had undergone minor wrist surgical procedure after the season, however he praised the rising star’s versatility: “He’s able to doing just about every thing. He covers tight ends very well, he even lined slot receivers fairly properly this yr, man protection. That’s fairly distinctive for a security.”
The Ravens additionally cleared cap house by releasing defensive finish Calais Campbell and reportedly restructuring offers for operating again Gus Edwards, proper guard Kevin Zeitler and nostril deal with Michael Pierce. Campbell, 36, stated he plans to play a sixteenth NFL season in 2023, and he was the Ravens’ most constant defensive lineman in 2022. However the Ravens saved $7 million by slicing him.
Edwards, 27, averaged 5 yards per carry over 9 video games final yr after he returned from a torn ACL that value him the entire 2021 season. The Ravens counted on him as a strong backfield complement to J.Okay. Dobbins.
Different potential cuts embody vast receivers Devin Duvernay ($4.3 million) and James Proche II ($1 million), linebacker Malik Harrison ($1.1 million) and offensive lineman John Simpson ($1 million). The Ravens may additionally clear room by restructuring the offers of left deal with Ronnie Stanley, cornerback Marlon Humphrey or tight finish Mark Andrews, however they'd danger cap difficulties in future years by going that route.
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