Lions sign high-character safety with tons of starting experience

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 4: Chuck Clark #21 of the Pittsburgh Steelers walks off the field after winning an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Detroit Lions continue to fortify their secondary depth in free agency. On Tuesday, they announced they’ve signed free agent safety Chuck Clark.

Clark was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Though he started out as a special teamer, he eventually worked his way into the starting lineup in Baltimore. In his third year, he started 12 games, and for the next three seasons, he was a full-time starter for the Ravens.

But entering the final year of his contract with the Ravens, he was traded away to the New York Jets in 2023, where his career hit a snag. He would miss the entire season with a torn ACL suffered in the offseason. And upon returning in 2024, Clark started 12 games, but had two stints on IR—one for an ankle injury and one for a torn pectoral muscle.

This past year, he was with the Steelers. He started five games as a reserve and took on a special teams role (189 snaps). In total, Clark brings 80 starts of experience and the versatility to play in the box or as a deep, free safety.