Charles Robinson On Jadeveon Clowney: "If He Wants A Bigger Deal, Into The Upper Teens, It's Going To Be a Team Like Cleveland"
Jadeveon Clowney is the biggest domino yet to fall in free agency with both Everson Griffen and Markus Golden seemingly not signing as they wait for Clowney to make his choice. The Cleveland Browns continue to be linked to Clowney to be the running mate opposite Myles Garrett.
Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports was a guest on The Pat McAfee Show and when he explored Clowney's thought process, the Browns came up on multiple occasions, though it was in connection with a long term deal.
To this point, there has been plenty of talking about the Browns with Clowney, but it seemed more like a place for him to get a payday and reenter the market after the 2020 season. Olivier Vernon is already on the Browns, scheduled to earn $15.5 million this season, the final year of his contract.
If the Browns are going to make a move for Clowney, Robinson is saying it would be for a longer team deal, one which might last the first overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft the rest of his career. Not only would that give the Browns to former no. 1 overall picks on their defensive edges along with Myles Garrett, selected as the top pick in 2017, they would have three on the team as the Browns took Baker Mayfield atop the 2018 NFL Draft.
Bus Cook, the agent for Clowney is also the agent for Garrett. The Browns are currently in negotiations for a lucrative extension for Garrett who is approaching the end of his rookie deal, so it's not as if the Browns aren't in contact with Clowney's representation.
If the Browns are interested in Clowney for a long term deal, which appears to be what Clowney wants. If the Browns are also offering the type of money Clowney is looking for, it begs the question why there hasn't been more movement on this front.
Perhaps another team is involved, such as the New York Giants, offering a similar type of deal and Clowney hasn't picked one. The Giants being interested in Clowney is a potential reason why they have not signed Markus Golden at this point.
The sheer fact this continues to be in a holding pattern, despite the reported interest by the Browns suggests they aren't Clowney's first choice. That does not mean he would not ultimately make the decision to sign there, but it seems as that he's holding out hope that another team steps up their offer, whether it's the Seattle Seahawks, who have reportedly drops their offer or another team.
Clowney may simply not trust the Browns, given their issues with ownership. He might not be sold on the fit in their defense. This is all speculation, but it's just strange that at least reportedly, the Browns are offering what Clowney wants and nothing is happening. It's also possible that Robinson is mistaken in his thinking and the Browns aren't as motivated as he appears to believe.
