Should the Jaguars Explore the Possibility of Signing Jadeveon Clowney?
To say the Jacksonville Jaguars have quickly thinned out on the defensive line just as training camp has ramped up would be an understatement. What was once the team's greatest strength and its lifeblood is now arguably its greatest question mark, all due to a few unforeseen circumstances and a few avoidable missteps.
Yannick Ngakoue? Still holding out of training camp. He hasn't signed his franchise tag tender and it remains to be seen if he will actually play for the Jaguars in 2020.
Calais Campbell? Traded to Baltimore for a meager 2020 fifth-round pick to create cap relief.
The free agent additions? Likely starting nose tackle Al Woods opted out before August began, likely starting big end Rodney Gunter retired Sunday due to a heart condition and defensive end Aaron Lynch voluntarily retired on Monday.
The rookie draft picks? Third round defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton is fighting for snaps at nose tackle, while first-rounder K'Lavon Chaisson has been out of practice for the last week due to what the team described as a "minor hamstring issue".
The incumbents? Second-year defensive end Josh Allen is already well on his way to stardom, but Taven Bryan and Dawuane Smoot have a combined nine sacks in five combined seasons.
Simply put, the Jaguars need defensive line help. They will eventually get Chaisson back on the field, and there is always a chance Ngakoue changes course and signs his tender and joins Allen and the others on the field. They also signed free agent defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan on Monday, quickly adding him to the mix.
But is that enough? It remains to be seen until Week 1 and beyond whether the Jaguars have enough ammo up front to produce desirable results on defense, but it would be hard to argue with anyone that the Jaguars could use more reinforcements.
"I think that there’s opportunities from now throughout the start of the season where you can acquire players, whether it’s the other players’ positions that are loaded on some teams," head coach Doug Marrone said during a video press conference on Monday.
"We’ll have to make some moves, or maybe it’s a trade? There’s a lot of options out there. I don’t think we’re in that mode yet of scramble. We’re in that mode of planning."
While there are countless options out there for the Jaguars to consider at both defensive end and interior defensive line, there is one notable available player that comes to mind for any team that presently needs defensive line help — veteran free agent Jadeveon Clowney.
The former 2014 No. 1 overall pick has been looking for a new team all offseason after spending just one year with the Seattle Seahawks. The main sticking point with Clowney has been the fact that he has continued to have a large asking price throughout the offseason despite a lack of a market for him. But should Clowney's asking price, and overall fit, keep the Jaguars from at least considering the possibility of adding the versatile defender?
On Sunday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Clowney was still asking around $17 million. The Jaguars have just over $16 million in cap space according to Over The Cap, so they would have to somehow find a way to create some cap space if they are to meet Clowney's reported asking price. However, the contract of Jernigan is not yet factored into this cap space figure, so the Jaguars would likely have to jump through even more hoops to bring in Clowney.
Jacksonville could create some cap relief by waiving minor role players such as Josh Dobbs, Carl Davis or Josh Jones, but there really isn't any realistic move the Jaguars can presently make as a pre- or post-June 1 cut to create enough cap space for Clowney.
For example, the Jaguars could waive center Brandon Linder and free up $8 million, but it would make little to zero sense to do. So while they could do it, it is a far-fetched idea at best and a ludicrous one at worst.
But what about from a pure football sense. Would Clowney make sense for the Jaguars then?
In terms of fit, the Jaguars already have three edge defenders they really like in Allen, Chaisson and Ngakoue. The hangup, of course, is that Ngakoue is far from a sure thing to play this season, while Chaisson is just a rookie. In terms of giving the Jaguars a veteran edge rusher across from Allen on third downs, Clowney makes a lot of sense. He is more of a safe bet to play in 2020 than Ngakoue in the event he signs with a team, while he is also more experienced and accomplished than Chaisson.
Signing Clowney could also play a massive role in Jacksonville's attempt to repair their run defense. Clowney would be a perfect fit at the big end position in Jacksonville's base defense thanks to his incredible blend of size, explosion and strength.
Clowney is one of the best edge defenders in the entire NFL when it comes to stopping the run, and he would instantly become Jacksonville's best weapon vs. opposing run games thanks to his ability to set the edge and make plays in the backfield. Considering Jacksonville's issues stopping the run last season, a year in which they were second-worst in the league in terms of yards per carry and rushing touchdowns allowed, it would make sense for the Jaguars to add Clowney due to his run defense pedigree.
"Once again, we need to develop an attitude to stop the run and earning the right to pass rush with these young men that we’re bringing in, or some good run-stopping guys," defensive coordinator Todd Wash said on Aug. 14. "You know, we’ve been able to rush the passer the last couple of years extremely well. But we’ve got to solidify the run defense."
Clowney also has inside-out versatility as a pass rusher. He could either line up across from Allen on nickel downs and attack quarterbacks off of the edge, or he could slide inside while Chaisson takes his spot on the edge. Marrone saw what Clowney could do to opposing offensive lines for four seasons (2015-18) as Jacksonville's offensive line coach and head coach, so he knows exactly what kind of weapon he is.
From a football perspective, there aren't many reasons for the Jaguars to not consider adding Clowney. Sure, he had just three sacks last season, but when he is at the top of his game he is a legitimate game-changer. The Jaguars need game-changing talent to help reverse the misfortunes of the defensive line, and there is no more talented available option than Clowney.
However, maybe the biggest factor in all of this is what Clowney would want himself. He has been tied to teams such as the Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, but the overall narrative has been that Clowney wants to play for a winner in 2020 if he plays at all.
With most analysts pegging the Jaguars as one of the NFL's worst teams entering the season, this would surely have to play into the decision-making process of Clowney, no matter if this is an accurate assessment or not of Jacksonville's chances in 2020. If Clowney wants to only play for a likely playoff team this year, then it could be a hard sell to convince him to come to Jacksonville.
Overall, Clowney makes perfect sense for the Jaguars from a strict football sense. He would give them the type of elite run defender they currently don't have, along with excellent edge depth and versatility. While they need help on the interior defensive line more than anything, Clowney would give them a great option at the big end position on base downs and a potential defensive tackle on nickel downs.
But on the other hand, the Jaguars may not have the ability to create enough cap space to fit in Clowney's asking price. The cap is a fickle beast that can be manipulated and contorted, but it could still prove to be difficult to give Clowney the contract he is seeking. And frankly, it could also be hard to see Clowney himself be interested in coming to Jacksonville.
The Jaguars need to make a big move to repair their defensive line. If they wanted Clowney to be that big move, it would be hard to blame them -- just don't expect it to happen.
