Home Field Advantage Key for Seahawks Re-Signing Jadeveon Clowney
INDIANAPOLIS - Since the Seahawks season abruptly ended at Lambeau Field on January 12, little new information has come to the forefront in regard to Jadeveon Clowney's pending free agency.
After a 28-23 loss in Green Bay, Clowney told reporters he wanted to play for a contender above all else, including money. After making the playoffs seven of the past eight seasons, Seattle has been a consistent title threat and should be in the mix to retain him for that reason alone.
“I just want to win,” Clowney said. "I'm trying to get to the Super Bowl by any means. That's what I'm looking for: Who's going to get me there? I ain't looking to get on no sorry team for no money. That ain't going to fly."
However, with free agency now just 16 days away, the market for Clowney looks to be taking shape after the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Per Josina Anderson of ESPN, several teams with ample cap space have been linked to him, including the Colts and Giants.
Anderson added that while Clowney would like to return to Seattle, he's also "open to new opportunities if it comes down to that." Money talks, but coach Pete Carroll hopes his positive experiences last season will sway his decision towards staying put.
"JD, he had a great time with us, now. He fit in. He had a great time," Carroll said on Tuesday. "He worked his tail off, when he could. He played like crazy. I know he liked being with us, and I know we liked him. Those are the givens."
"Now, we've got to figure out if we can, you know, come to a deal and see how it all fits together and all that kind of stuff. There's no question we want him, and that he liked being here."
If the Seahawks want to keep Clowney - based off of comments by general manager John Schneider and Carroll last week, they most certainly do - they'll likely need to be willing to eclipse the $21 million per year mark minimum. A potential bidding war could be on the horizon, complicating the team's efforts to re-sign him.
Based on past precedent, such a scenario would dramatically decrease the chances of Clowney sporting Seahawks blue again in 2020 and beyond.
Just one year ago, Schneider and the front office decided against giving a similar contract to defensive end Frank Clark, choosing to trade him to Kansas City instead. And unlike Clowney, Clark never sniffed free agency because the team slapped the franchise tag on him in early March.
But looking back at Clark's situation, the Seahawks are in a far different position with Clowney on a number of fronts.
For one, Schneider agreed not to use the franchise tag again to help facilitate an August trade with the Texans to acquire the star defender. This gesture of good faith allowed Clowney the chance to hit free agency for the first time.
Secondly, the Seahawks have at least eight draft choices in April, twice what they had this time last year. Schneider isn't scrambling trying to find ways to add draft picks, which played a role in Clark's eventual departure.
When it comes to finances, Seattle also has a bit more flexibility with north of $40 million in cap space and the ability to add up to $8 to $10 million more through roster cuts if necessary. The team isn't in the middle of negotiations with Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner either.
With Schneider and his front office team expected to meet with Clowney's agent in Indianapolis last week, the Seahawks remain hopeful a long-term deal can be reached because of their established team culture, understanding of how to take care of his body, and the built in advantage of playing eight games a year at noisy CenturyLink Field.
"One of the primary reasons we were able to recruit Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril was their ability to jump off the ball in that stadium and playing there eight times," Schneider said. "We lost four at home [in 2019]. Can't be doing that again. But just to have that noise, those guys, the real good pass rushers know it and they have that snap anticipation."
Once the legal tampering period begins on March 16, Clowney will begin exploring all of his options, including remaining in the Pacific Northwest. When asked if the Seahawks will be looking to match any offer from other teams, Schneider said they "absolutely" would.
Despite recording just 3.0 sacks in his lone season with the 'Hawks, Schneider sees him as a "super disruptive" defender and diminished pass rushing production while playing injured won't prevent the organization from pursuing a new deal.
"When he comes off the ball and is using his hands, he's an incredible player, there is no doubt about it. Sack numbers-wise, he's had really good... he had 8.5 sacks a couple years ago. He's the exact same player that he was in Houston."
In the end, it will likely all come down to dollars and cents. No matter what, Seattle will have to pay a premium to keep Clowney in town. In coming weeks, it'll become clear whether or not that is a price Schneider and company are willing to pay.
