The Broncos have officially parted ways with outside linebacker Frank Clark.
Unable to find a trade partner in recent days, Denver released Clark on Saturday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.
The separation has been in the works for several days. Clark didn’t practice Tuesday or Wednesday with Denver and did not play Thursday against his previous team, Kansas City.
The Broncos and Clark agreed to a restructured contract and tried to find a trade partner for him, but instead will now simply release him.
Clark, 30, played in just two games for the Broncos after signing a one-year contract with $5.45 million in original guaranteed money in June.
He appeared in the season opener against Las Vegas, then missed three games with an adductor muscle injury. Clark returned to play 11 snaps in Week 5 against the New York Jets.
The restructured contract reduces his salary to the veteran minimum for the rest of the regular season. That means he took a pay cut of about $1.76 million to make himself more tradable and less expensive to cut.
The Broncos now have an open roster spot. They’re getting close to getting outside linebacker Baron Browning back from the physically unable to perform list. Browning had offseason knee surgery and has not yet appeared in a game this season.
Denver’s rotation on the edge Thursday night at Kansas City included second-year man Nik Bonitto and third-year players Jonathon Cooper and Ronnie Perkins.
Bolles fined. Denver left tackle Garett Bolles was fined $10,927 for unnecessary roughness in the Broncos’ Week 5, 31-21 loss to the New York Jets.
The fine came with 2 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the first half when Bolles was blocking on a Jaleel McLaughlin run and ripped off Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood’s helmet. The play was not penalized on the field.
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