Franchise tight end Dallas Clark won’t be burdened by franchise tag

Who else would use Dallas Clark the way the do? It’s not in the manipulative buy-a-lady-jewels-and-get-no-return sense of the word “use,” either: the team gets indispensable value from an elite pass-catching tight end, while he gets to remain with a squad that employs him utterly perfectly and features a cast around him ranging from all-time greats to2010 pro bowl Vikings 4 Brett Favre jersey
current very goods. Locked in theoretically through 2013 thanks to his new deal, Clark has plenty of time to continue working successfully with this little proficient group.Clark earned his deal with great tight end-level numbers last season, nabbing 58 catches for 616 yards and an impressive 11 touchdowns. While they stand on their own, his contributions were even more vital when one considers that he stepped up when necessary. He caught 30 passes during the Super Bowl season; while he only played 12 regular season games in 2006 compared to 15 last year, the fact remains that he filled a void caused by Marvin Harrison’s absence this past year, which gives crucial significance to his statistical upsurge.And he brings more than numbers. Clark is someone fans really need to watch play in order to appreciate: specifically, his calmness during the normal duress of an NFL game is remarkable. Action percolating all around, he coolly finds an open patch of territory, makes his reception without the slightest trace of franticness, and heads downfield while eluding opponents with total composure. In the midst of a violent tempest, Clark comes across like a very athletic Bob Ross without the white guy Afro.He also serves as a throwback in a more direct manner regarding this franchise and his position. While in Baltimore, the Colts featured one of the first tight ends who dominated the game primarily as a receiver in John Mackey; Clark, who won the 2002 Mackey Award at Iowa as college football’s best tight end, is extending that legacy, even if he’s certainly not in the earlier player’s class as a field-stretching trailblazer en route to the Hall of Fame.Threatening the defense as a receiver from the end of the offensive line is devastating to the opponent and a remarkably unique gift for the player in question to possess, not to mention that Clark can also usefully line up as a wideout in a demonstration of skill paired with versatility.The 24th overall pick of the 2003 draft, he’s also part of a group of current receivers on his team that has excelled fantastically after being drafted in the second half of the first round, one that includes Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and promising youngster Anthony Gonzalez. It’s a testament to the abilities of both Bill Polian and Peyton Manning, but it also indicates that each member of the platoon contributes without individually demanding much attention. Talent and chemistry combine and lead to annual dominance.And Clark will be part of that unit for at least a few more years. An added bonus of the long-term contract is that neither this team nor its fans will have to deal with a year of franchise tag resentment by the player, an understandable frustration for stars who want lasting security in an insecure profession. To be accurate, he did spend approximately 24 hours under the label, as the team tagged him on February 19 before he signed this deal on the 20th; I feel it’s safe to declare the contentious day 10 Santonio Holmes White jersey
won’t affect his play in 2008.Plus, the tight end position won’t have to be addressed in either free agency or the draft, meaning the team can focus its attention on other positions or even relax as other teams fight and claw over available receivers.Now, Clark gets stability instead of being forced to endure a single-year deal while the team gets to keep an exceptional tight end in its arsenal. Helping each other out is a lot better than one party heartlessly mooching off the second, as both the franchise and receiver will mutually benefit from a contract that means he’ll keep bewildering pass defenses for some time.