Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said last week that the team would not let defensive end Frank Clark get away as a free agent and he was proven correct on Monday afternoon.
According to multiple reports, the Seahawks have used the franchise tag on Clark. The tag carries a salary of $17.128 million if Clark signs it and plays out the year without reaching agreement on a new deal with Seattle. They’ll have until July 15 to sort that out.
Clark joined the Seahawks as a second-round pick in the 2015 draft and set a career high with 13 sacks for the team last season.
Clark’s the fourth edge player to get tagged on Monday. Jadeveon Clowney of the Texans, DeMarcus Lawrence of the Cowboys and Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford are also in that category ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s deadline, so the remaining free agents in that category should see their price tags rise as demand is likely to outstrip supply come the start of the new league year.
UPDATE 5:38 p.m. ET: The NFL’s daily transaction wire confirmed that Clark has been tagged.