According to reports, the Baltimore Ravens have given Chuck Clark a three year contract extension. Here are three things to think about in this win-win of a deal for the purple and black:
1. Chuck Clark earned it:
The Baltimore Ravens gave Clark a contract extension that he absolutely deserved. Chuck Clark was the player the coaches gave the green dot to, meaning he was the one getting the play-calls from Don Martindale. Clark became a leader for the Ravens. It’s remarkable that in a secondary that has Earl Thomas, Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith and Marcus Peters that is the case. It’s amazing that a player who didn’t come into the 2019 season as a starter and who was a sixth round pick out of Virginia Tech, ended up being one of the most important players on the field. Clark became the starting strong safety of the Ravens and that doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.
Clark had 73 of his 107 career tackles in the 2019 season. Clark, who didn’t become a starter until the fifth week of the season, also had a sack and an interception to go with those 73 tackles. The deal that he signed which is reportedly worth $16 million is a nice pay-day that won’t limit the Ravens this offseason. In fact, the deal is a win for both sides. Clark has always provided value to the team. He played well on special teams before he got opportunities on defense. When he trickled into the defensive unit, he never looked lost. Now he leads a secondary of leaders.
The one thing the Ravens know about Clark is that they will never regret investing in him. Clark has proven to be one of the hardest workers and one of the toughest players. The football IQ between Thomas and Clark is off the charts. That’s going to make a difference in games. It already has. The Ravens were proactive and because of that they got the best possible deal for both sides. It’s good to see.