3 proposed trade destinations for Panthers pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney

He was the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, and he’s played for six different franchises. As of this writing, defensive end/outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney is a member of the Carolina Panthers. A three-time Pro Bowler during his first five years with the Texans, he comes off a season in Charlotte in which he totaled 46 tackles, knocked down four passes, and tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks.

Sterling Xie of Pro Football Sports Network recently assembled a list of a player each team in the NFL could deal away. He listed Clowney as the Carolina’s top tradable performer. Xie listed the Ravens, Seahawks, and Lions as “potential fits” for the 11-year veteran.

“The well-traveled former No. 1 overall pick still has some gas in the tank,” explained Xie. “Jadeveon Clowney had 5.5 sacks and a 13.7 percent pressure rate for the Panthers last season. It was Clowney’s fifth straight season with a double-digit pressure rate, and it was only marginally lower than his 15.7 percent pressure rate when he had 9.5 sacks for the Ravens in 2023.

“While the wretched Panthers defense needs all the help it can get, the 32-year-old Clowney doesn’t make a ton of sense on Carolina’s timeline. The South Carolina native has an $8.5 million base salary in the final year of his contract, making him an affordable rental option for a team in need of a veteran edge.”

Two of the aforementioned fits are déjà vu indeed. Clowney played for Seattle in 2019, and Baltimore in 2023. He tied his career-high with 9.5 sacks for John Harbaugh’s club that year, and added a sack of Patrick Mahomes in the AFC title game loss to the Chiefs.

“Returning him to the Ravens would make a lot of sense,” said Xie, “given how well he fit during his lone season there two years ago. His defensive coordinator in Baltimore was Mike Macdonald, who is now the Seahawks head coach…Finally, the Lions have typically desired bigger edge rushers under Dan Campbell, and the 6’5”, 266-pound Clowney qualifies.”

Panthers’ general manager Dan Morgan has nine picks in this year’s draft to further upgrade a pass rush that produced only 32 sacks this past season. The team has already signed four-year pro Patrick Jones II, who had seven QB traps for the Vikings in 2024. Of the three teams mentioned as a fit for Clowney, Detroit would appear to make the most sense. Aidan Hutchinson missed the final 12 games of 2024, and still led Detroit with 7.5 sacks.

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