Jadeveon Clowney's Play May Warrant Extension
Edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney was initially viewed as a stopgap when he signed a one-year deal with the Browns in the offseason. Many figured the team would use him as a stepping stone to get to the 2022 NFL Draft, where several quality first-round rushers would await them.
This may prove to be the case, but his play over the first eight games of the year has turned heads. He has exceeded everyone's expectations in his first year with the team, and he could be in line for a second deal after the year.
Cleveland has been dreaming of pairing him with edge rusher Myles Garrett for over two years. They offered him a three-year contract in the leadup to the 2020 season, but he opted to sign a one-year prove-it deal with the Tennessee Titans.
His stint with the Titans didn't work out, and his career appeared to be headed downhill. His time with the Browns has revitalized his career and could land him a big deal this offseason.
The Browns will have to think long and hard about giving him a long-term extension. He has been one of the best run defenders in football this year and is part of the reason why rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah excelled to start the year.
Clowney eats up so much attention in the run game, which gives the second-level linebackers much more room to diagnose plays and attack the ball carrier. Cleveland's linebackers haven't been asked to do much this year in part because Clowney is dominating offensive lines at the point of attack.
When he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, many envisioned him as a dominant run defender who could occasionally overpower offensive tackles in pass-protection with his power and athleticism.
He has lived up to that exact billing this year and is having one of the best years of his career. There are a lot of tough decisions to be made on this front for all parties in the coming months.
Cleveland recently cut bait with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., which would free up $15 million of cap space this offseason. There are several other contracts the Browns could rid themselves of this year, but they could potentially give themselves $30 million to play with whichever way you figure it.
There are still several long-term deals that the team still has to sort through. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, corner Denzel Ward, guard Wyatt Teller, and tight end David Njoku are all candidates for second contracts.
Only the team knows how much money they truly have, but it is hard to argue against re-signing Clowney when it comes to extension time. He will be expensive and has an injury history, but this year's play is precisely what they need opposite, Garrett.
They could always prioritize edge rusher with their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but it would be tough to take an unknown over what Clowney is putting forth every week. This is a situation to monitor moving forward, as Clowney is becoming the player many projected him to be at the start of his career.
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