Ravens Best Fit for Free Agent DE Jadeveon Clowney?
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The Baltimore Ravens defensive line was among the league's best a season ago.
With four players registering over five sacks - Justin Houston (9.5), Justin Madubuike, Calais Campbell, and Patrick Queen (5.5) - and the unit ranking sixth in total sacks (48), tenth in forced fumbles (14) and fourth at stopping third-down conversions, first-year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald certainly set the standard.
But question marks remain at how Macdonald will follow-up his superb first year leading the Ravens defense.
With Houston still a free agent, and Campbell signing a deal with the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore could lose a pair that combined for 14.5 sacks a season ago.
However, ESPN recently compiled a list of the "best fits" for remaining free agents, and deemed Baltimore as the top choice for former No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney.
"Clowney is a straight-line power rusher who can set a hard edge versus the run game, and he would fit in coordinator Mike Macdonald's defensive scheme in Baltimore," ESPN writes." Yes, his production declined in Cleveland last season -- he had just two sacks -- but the 30-year-old can still create disruption in both the run and pass game. Clowney can play off the edge or align inside as a stand-up defensive tackle in the Ravens' multiple fronts.
"Baltimore turned over its front seven, and I see a part-time role for Clowney there."
Despite Clowney's decline from three consecutive Pro Bowl campaigns (2016-2018), the former South Carolina product is still capable of wreacking havoc in the backfield. Over the past two seasons on the Cleveland Browns, the 30-year-old racked up 11 sacks, 65 tackles and 23 quarterbacks hits in 26 games.
Baltimore currently sits at roughly $12 million in cap space according to Spotrac, solidifying that a Clowney signing is not out of the equation.
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