With a necessity on the security place following the commerce of Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins, the Pittsburgh Steelers added a veteran presence Friday who brings some versatility to the desk.
That may be Chuck Clark, who the Steelers know fairly effectively relationship again to his days in Baltimore.
At 30 years previous, Clark is on the older facet of his NFL profession, however he brings practically 5,000 profession snaps within the NFL to the Steelers and helps shore up the depth chart on the place of want.
Final season with the Jets, Clark performed 702 snaps and break up it comparatively evenly between free security and field security, recording 347 snaps at free security and 272 snaps within the field. In his profession, these splits appear to be this:
FS: 1,871
Field: 1,750
Slot: 672
As you possibly can see, there’s an excellent quantity of expertise everywhere in the area. That bodes effectively for the Steelers, who’ve made it some extent of emphasis this offseason so as to add gamers with versatility on each side of the soccer.
Clark brings that to the desk. Versatility is only one piece of his recreation, although. He’s additionally a positive tackler who brings some physicality and is an effective communicator, having worn the inexperienced dot at occasions in Baltimore. Final season in New York, Clark missed simply eight tackles, good for an 11.1% missed tackles fee. For his profession, he has an 8.8% missed tackles fee, which is an excellent quantity.
With all that stated, let’s dive into the tape and see what the Steelers are getting with Clark at this level in his profession, his tape from final season in New York.
Sporting the No. 36 final season for the Jets, Clark was typically tasked with taking part in downhill, spending a great deal of time within the field as an additional linebacker of types.
He was stable in opposition to the run, grading out at a 70.5 general in that division from Professional Soccer Focus. Clark performs with good eyes and stays sq. to the road of scrimmage when defending the run. He’s not going to run himself out of place in these conditions.
Nice job right here of staying sq., taking up the broad receiver blocking down, and making the run cease.
Within the field, Clark was an efficient blitzer, too. Right here in opposition to the New England Patriots, Clark was in a position to disguise his blitz lengthy sufficient to get himself free off the sting, racing residence for the sack of Jacoby Brissett.
Although Brissett did get this ball off on the clip, officers blew the play lifeless and credited Clark with the sack, which was his lone sack of the season. Very like he did within the earlier clip, Clark has the flexibility to remain sq., take good angles, and when he will get his fingers on the ball provider, he’s getting the man on the bottom.
Clark is a really sensible participant general, one which reads performs rapidly and triggers downhill in opposition to the run.
The veteran is positionally sound, doesn’t run himself into bother and persistently finishes reps.
Nice play right here by Clark, too. He was in a position to get in on the sort out of Patriots’ operating again Rhamondre Stevenson and rip the ball away within the course of for the compelled fumble and the fumble restoration. Spectacular stuff from the veteran.
Watch the best way Clark closes floor right here in opposition to the Denver Broncos final season. In run help, he’s so stable. It reveals up time and time once more on tape.
He stays sq. all the time, places himself in nice place to protect in opposition to each gaps, and is there to wash up the play ultimately.
Have a look at the method he performs with on the level of contact, too. Basically sound participant, particularly as a tackler. The profession numbers bear that out, too.
In protection, Clark has some first rate numbers general. Final season, he was charged with 12 receptions on 20 targets for 113 yards. Nevertheless, he allowed 4 touchdowns and had only one move breakup. In his profession, he’s allowed 141 receptions on 207 targets for 1,473 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has 5 interceptions and 17 move breakups in his profession, in keeping with Professional Soccer Focus.
At this stage of profession, Clark is extra typically tasked with dealing with tight ends in protection, slightly than turning and operating downfield in deep protection. When he’s across the line of scrimmage in opposition to tight ends, he’s going to surrender receptions, however he’ll get the tight finish on the bottom rapidly.
Once more, you possibly can see how sensible Clark is as a defender, particularly within the clips in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts. Misdirection performs don’t actually section him. He’s in a position to learn and react rapidly.
You’ll discover, too, that he takes nice angles to the tight ends in house and will get them on the bottom rapidly and cleanly. That’s a serious energy to his recreation. You actually can’t underestimate the flexibility to get to the ball provider rapidly and effectively, after which end the play.
The place Clark struggles at this level in protection is when he has to show and run vertically in a single-high position, or when he has to get to the sideline down the sphere in two-high protection. He doesn’t have the foot pace to shut like he did as a youthful participant.
That torn ACL in 2023 may very well be affecting him in that regard.
The Jets did an excellent job of attempting to maintain him out of those conditions final season. They knew his strengths and weaknesses, and so they schemed it up effectively to maintain him from having to do that typically. However when he was in these conditions, groups took benefit.
The backpedal right here from Clark is clean, however he’s only a tick hesitant turning and opening it up. As soon as he realizes what is occurring, he doesn’t have the lengthy pace to shut the hole and may’t assist excessive because the Titans discovered the top zone on the deep shot.
The place Clark suits finest in Pittsburgh is because the backup to DeShon Elliott as that field security. He can play free security in a pinch and will even deal with some slot/large nickel work, too. At this level in the summertime, it’s an excellent signing for the Steelers. He shores up depth and provides an skilled piece that the crew is conversant in.
He additionally has some particular groups expertise, too, although he performed simply 9 particular groups snaps final yr in New York. As a depth piece, he might strengthen coordinator Danny Smith’s items this season, whereas offering consolation from a depth perspective at each security positions.
