Jets safety Chuck Clark has chip on his shoulder after missing 2023 season

Last year, the Jets acquired Chuck Clark in a trade with the Ravens.

The veteran safety was highly motivated, having asked to be traded after Baltimore drafted Kyle Hamilton.

However, after tearing his ACL on the final play of an OTA practice last spring, Clark, 29, did not play a single down in a Jets uniform. Despite him missing all of last year, the Jets re-signed Clark to a one-year deal worth $1.83 million.

“That meant a lot,” Clark said about the Jets bringing him back. “The short time that I had last year, the six weeks to show what I could do, it meant a lot to say, ‘Hey, we want you back.’

“Everyone calling me and showing that love and expressing that they want you back. My thing was about being healthy and getting back on the field. Football was going to handle itself when it came back around. My main thing was getting back to 100 [percent].”

The Jets acquired Clark for a 2024 seventh-round pick because he brought versatility and veteran leadership to a defense looking to improve its last line of defense. After tearing his ACL during practice, Clark got up and walked off the field. He went that entire weekend without knowing he had torn his ACL and found out his diagnosis the following week. He was then told he would miss the whole season.

Clark was cleared for football activities in February and has participated in OTAs this spring.

“A guy like Chuck, you don’t feel bad for the team as much as you do the individual,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “He puts in all the work, he’s in a new environment.

“He looks good, he’s worked his tail off. He’s been here every day. He didn’t have to. Even last year during the season, he didn’t have to be here to rehab, but he was here and staying connected to the team.

“He’s putting together a good OTA and [we are] excited about the trajectory at which he’s going.”

During his six seasons with the Ravens, Clark lined up in the box to stop the run at the line of scrimmage. He was also used deep in coverage and defended some of the league’s better receivers and tight ends.

In his final season with Baltimore, Clark played 100% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps. That year, he finished with 101 tackles and four pass breakups. In six seasons in Baltimore, Clark recorded 384 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five interceptions, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

During his NFL career, Clark had missed just two games before last year.

“Just not being able to be out there the first time in 23-plus years, I haven’t played football in the fall time,” Clark said about the most challenging part of missing last season. “Just seeing everybody line up for games, getting the gameplan, and I’m seeing it from afar, watching through the windows, doing the workouts.

“I think that was the toughest part, not the actual rehab stuff and pushing through that stuff. It was not actually being able to be out there and feeling in a different space, something I had never felt before. Something that I’m associated with, football is part of my life, and not being able to be out there, it was a different feeling.”

Clark will join a Jets safety room full of youth. In addition to him, the Jets have Ashtyn Davis, Tony Adams and 2024 Mr. Irrelevant Jaylen Key on the roster.

Jordan Whitehead, whom Clark was expected to work alongside last year, signed with the Buccaneers during the offseason.

When he joined the Jets, Clark spoke about how happy he was to be part of their defense. Last year, Gang Green finished third in yards (292.3) and 12th in points allowed (20.9).

While he is optimistic that the Jets’ defense can be great, Clark still feels he has something left to prove.

“I still have that chip on my shoulder,” Clark said. “I think going through that injury process just gave me that new gratitude and gratefulness for this game.

“I still got a lot to prove. I missed the entire year. It is people who are like, ‘He missed the year and he lost a step,’ and I’m like, ‘Alright, watch.’”

Jets Tuesday’s OTA practice report

Aaron Rodgers had another solid day of OTAs, completing 6-of-9 passes and a touchdown pass. His highlight throw of the day was a nearly 60-yard touchdown pass to second-year receiver Xavier Gipson.

Rodgers also delivered a no-look pass to Garrett Wilson in 7-on-7 drills.

In addition to Rodgers, rookie running back Braelon Allen continues to impress. He has proven to be a playmaker carrying the ball, and Allen has been a sure-handed receiver out of the backfield. In 11-on-11 drills, Allen caught a contested 50/50 pass from Tyrod Taylor.

Left tackle Tyron Smith didn’t practice with the rest of the team Wednesday. He was seen working on a stationary bike and talking to former Jets center Nick Mangold, who was observing practice.

Running back Breece Hall, wide receivers Jason Brownlee and Irv Charles, cornerback Brandin Echols and offensive lineman Brady Latham did not participate with the rest of the team and were seen mainly in the rehab area. Saleh said Hall is dealing with some “lower half stuff,” but it’s nothing the team is concerned about.