Could Arrival of Jamal Adams Persuade Jadeveon Clowney to Return to Seahawks?
It feels like it's been a decade since Jadeveon Clowney first hit the free agent market in mid-March. At the time, the star defensive end and former first overall pick thought he would break the bank and potentially sign a market-resetting deal worth well beyond $20 million per year.
But with his first attempt at free agency coinciding with the pandemic of our lifetimes, Clowney didn't receive anything close to the offers he thought he would for a variety of reasons. Coming off surgery, other prospective teams couldn't bring him in for a physical, and several teams were reportedly scared off by a past microfracture surgery on his knee. He also produced only 3.0 sacks for the Seahawks last season, leaving some to wonder if he was worth a top-of-the-market deal.
For several months, the chances of Clowney ending up back in Seattle have looked to be dire at best. The Seahawks made multiple reported offers in an effort to keep him, including a one-year deal to allow him to hit the market again in 2021, but he rejected those overtures. Other teams such as Titans, Raiders, and Browns have taken a close look, but none have met what he's looking for financially to this point either and the defender has opted to sit pat.
Following a blockbuster trade to acquire Jets safety Jamal Adams, however, could Clowney have a change of heart? And do the Seahawks have the financial capabilities to make one last run at him?
All along, general manager John Schneider has been adamant Seattle would love to have Clowney, calling him a "disruptive" force on the field and maintaining that the door was open to re-sign him. The player has mutually expressed interest in a reunion on numerous occasions, praising Pete Carroll and the coaching staff and the culture they have helped instill.
But the Seahawks, like every other interested suitor, haven't been willing or able to meet his financial demands. Clowney hasn't been in a rush to sign as a result, working out in Houston and waiting for the "right opportunity," whether back in Seattle or playing elsewhere.
As the calendar approaches August and camps open amid plenty of uncertainty, the clock is ticking for Clowney to make a decision on where he will play in 2020. Though the Seahawks have been functioning for months under the presumption the star defender wouldn't be back for a second season, both parties should have interest in finding a way to strike a deal on the eve of camp.
From Clowney's perspective, it should be apparent at this point that no team is going to open up the checkbook and come close to paying what he believed he was worth. Multi-year deals haven't been on the table for months, so why not return to Seattle where he knows the staff, he knows the scheme, and with the arrival of Adams, he should have a better supporting cast around him?
Considering those factors working in his favor, a fully healthy Clowney could turn a one-year "prove it" deal worth less than perceived market value into a much more lucrative contract next spring, when hopefully the pandemic is under better control. And if wants to play for a contender as he claimed back in January, he's going to be hard-pressed to find a better chance to win a Super Bowl than with the Seahawks.
As for Seattle, even after signing Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin in free agency and drafting Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson in April, there's no denying Clowney would immediately bolster a defensive line that lacks star power. He's the type of game changer the unit lacks and with improved talent and depth around him, his production could be far better than it was a year ago.
The biggest obstacle remains a financial one, as the Seahawks currently have $14.436 million in estimated cap space and still have six draft picks left to sign. If Clowney still wants $15-16 million on a one-year deal, some moves will need to be made to create the cap flexibility necessary to sign him.
One way Schneider could save an additional $4 million in cap space would be to release two of Seattle's restricted free agent signings, which includes defensive end Branden Jackson, receiver David Moore, center Joey Hunt, and tight end Jacob Hollister. Any of those four players could be released without absorbing a dead cap hit. Per Aaron Fentress of Oregon Live, Jackson has already been released, which could be the first domino to fall.
In the event the Seahawks needed more financial relief, cutting linebacker K.J. Wright would net $6.5 million in cap space. But that seems very unlikely, especially after the veteran set career-highs in tackles and interceptions last season.
Just mere days away from players reporting, it remains unclear whether or not Schneider will make one last run at Clowney. But after trading away multiple first-round picks for Adams, the organization is clearly all-in mode pursuing another Super Bowl and should pull out all stops to ensure he's back in a Seahawks uniform next season.
