RENTON — Frank Clark insists he’s a defensive end, not a linebacker.

Throughout the offseason rumors swirled about the Seattle Seahawks switching Clark from the line of scrimmage to playing just behind it. But following Thursday’s ninth and final Seahawks organized team activity — or OTA — at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Clark put to rest any suggestions of a position change.

“I’m a defensive end, I’m a pass rusher,” Clark said. “I love rushing that passer, I love being on the edge, I love having my hand in the dirt.”

The Seahawks have been searching for a strong-side linebacker ever since Bruce Irvin departed as a free agent in March, signing a four-year, $37 million contract with the Oakland Raiders. When Seattle chose not to address the position in the draft, speculation turned to the possibility of either Clark or fellow defensive end Cassius Marsh moving to linebacker to fill the void.

The speculation was fueled when Clark was briefly listed on the roster on the Seahawks’ website as a linebacker and at 257 pounds, which is 15 pounds lighter than last season’s playing weight. The website quickly reverted to Clark’s previous position and weight.

But while OTAs have featured Marsh getting looks at strong-side linebacker, Clark has largely remained in a three-point stance as an edge rusher.

“(The coaches) didn’t come to me one time during the offseason,” Clark said about whether he was asked to change positions. “I always knew what I was coming in to do. I know there were a lot of rumors, the linebacker rumors and things like that. But I wasn’t quoted saying I was going to play it, and neither were my coaches.”

Therefore, it seems it will be another season of rushing the passer for Clark.

Clark was Seattle’s first selection in the 2014 NFL draft, being selected in the second round (63rd overall) out of the University of Michigan. Clark’s selection came with plenty of controversy as he was arrested for domestic violence during his senior season and dismissed from the team. The charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct, to which Clark pleaded guilty.

This time last year Clark was having to answer questions about the incident that led to his arrest. Things are calmer for Clark this offseason, both because he’s another year removed from his arrest and because he’s no longer a rookie trying to find his way.

“I’m not a guy who over-criticizes myself or thinks too deep into things,” Clark said. “I just go with the flow. What happened last year, the different scrutiny, everything I brought with me to the team, it didn’t really bother me much because I already knew what I wanted to do here. I knew the task at hand, I knew what my coaches wanted out of me, and I knew the risks they took in picking me.

“The biggest thing is just knowing how to handle myself on and off the field, knowing my responsibility as a player and as a teammate,” Clark added about being a second-year player. “Coach (Pete) Carroll, he asks a lot out of all of us, it’s a big responsibility. That’s why everyone doesn’t get the chance to play in the NFL and everyone doesn’t get the chance to play for the Seahawks, because he asks so much of us.”

Clark was able to steer clear of controversy during his rookie season with the Seahawks. Playing behind standout veterans Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, Clark was brought in primarily on passing downs, being used both on the edge and inside. He finished the season with 16 tackles and three sacks, and he’ll be looking to improve those numbers in the upcoming season.

In order to accomplish that Clark did indeed lose weight. Though Clark isn’t changing positions, the weight loss briefly reported on the Seahawks’ website is legitimate. Clark said he lost 15-20 pounds, and he’s now listed on the roster at 260. It wasn’t a matter of any weight target being set by the team, but instead a case of Clark trying to reach into his past.

“I felt like I played a little too heavy,” Clark said. “I basically wanted to drop weight and get back to those quicker days of Frank: more speed, get off the edge a little faster.

“Over the course of the year, while in games, I felt myself getting tired after a couple plays and I’m like, ‘Wow that’s not me.’ So take it back to my junior and senior year of college, when I was 260-265, when I could play eight plays straight and feel great. I just took it back there and that’s really where I wanted to be physically.”

So what does Clark believe he has to do in order to have more impact in his second season?

“I always want to be more consistent,” Clark said. “Consistent in my pass rush, consistent from first to third down, that’s my main thing. I want to be a better teammate, and when I say that I mean knowing my plays in and out. I played three different positions last year on the defensive line. I took it even as a rookie to have no excuse for a missed assignment or a blown play. This year I’m taking to heart to know every play and be accountable to my teammates.”

Check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/seattlesidelines, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.