The Baltimore Ravens have been rumored to trade safety Chuck Clark ever since the team drafted Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton in the first round of this year’s draft.
Clark has been a key part of the Ravens’ defense for the last few seasons and has developed into one of the team’s leaders on that side of the ball. However, his future does appear a little less certain now.
The addition of both Hamilton and Marcus Williams has left the Ravens overloaded at the safety position, and some have speculated that the team could look to trade Clark.
That’s the sentiment shared by Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski who recently suggested that the Ravens “should trade” Clark this summer.
"“Clark is a good player, and the Ravens can find ways to use him. But another team in search of a starting-caliber safety can see the writing on the wall and could make a play for his services.”"
Should the Ravens consider trading Chuck Clark?
A sixth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Clark has been a starting safety for the Ravens in each of the last three seasons. During that time, he’s developed from a fringe special-teamer to a well-established defensive leader.
Even with Williams and Hamilton now on the roster, the Ravens could still find room for Clark. That’s why the team has insisted to this point that they have no plans to trade the former Virginia Tech standout.
Head coach John Harbaugh has publicly stated that he was “planning on Clark being” in Baltimore this season. There are certainly ways to utilize all three players, especially given Clark’s versatility.
However, it is worth wondering what the Ravens could land in a trade. If some team comes calling with an attractive enough offer, perhaps Baltimore opts to pull the trigger.
That said, the Ravens aren’t really in a position where they should be looking to trade away good players. Injuiries can and will happen, and as we saw last year, you could never have too much depth — especially in the secondary.
Unless the Ravens receive an offer they can’t refuse, it makes more sense to hold onto Chuck Clark for at least another season.
He’s a veteran defensive leader on a team-friendly contract. Keep your good players, don’t trade them.