Clark signs extension with Ravens
Published 7:44 pm Monday, February 10, 2020
Suffolk native Chuck Clark has signed a three-year, $19-million extension with the Baltimore Ravens.
After being drafted by Baltimore in the sixth round of the 2017 draft, Clark now finds himself expecting to spend a few more years there. It was announced by the Ravens on Monday that the team had reached an extension with Clark that will keep him with the Ravens the next four years.
Clark had one year remaining on his rookie contract, and the Ravens wanted to make it a priority to get Clark extended before he reached free agency after the 2020 NFL season. Clark’s extension will be worth up to $19 million, with a guarantee of $10 million.
The former King’s Fork High School standout recently completed his third year in the league. He led the Ravens in tackling with 68 total. He forced two fumbles and also caught an interception. This was all after not starting the first couple of weeks of the season.
“Chuck is a great story about hard work, patience, preparation and passion,” General Manager Eric DeCosta stated. “He waited for his chance and seized the opportunity. Chuck’s a good football player, a fine teammate and a respected leader. He’s the type of player we want on our defense for a long time. Congrats to Chuck and his family.”
Once Clark became the starter at safety, he wore the communication helmet for the defense. It was a big responsibility for a defensive player, as their job is to get their teammates lined up correctly.
“Chuck is extremely smart. He can line everybody up, he can manage the defense, and on top of that, he’s a great athlete,” Ravens defensive backs coach Chris Hewitt stated. “He has every attribute to become a great player in this league.”
The Ravens went 14-2 this season, which was good for the best record in the NFL while holding the top seed in the AFC for the playoffs. For the next season, the Ravens are among the top favorites to win the Super Bowl.
At King’s Fork, Clark was a standout, earning All-District and All-Region honors. He then went on to stand out at Virginia Tech before being drafted by the Ravens.