Jadeveon Clowney Waiting for 'Right Opportunity,' Open to Seahawks Return

Making his first public comments since the Seahawks season ended in Green Bay back January, Jadeveon Clowney is keeping all options on the table, including the possibility of returning to Seattle.

Close to two months after free agency kicked off, the 27-year old Clowney remains unsigned. It's been a frustrating process for the former No. 1 overall pick, who hasn't received any offers close to what he expected heading into the process. But he's comfortable with continuing to wait things out for the right situation, which still could wind up being with the Seahawks.

"I hope we can work something out if anything happens," Clowney said in an interview with Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. "I did like it up there. I love Russ [Russell Wilson]. I love all the guys I played with. J. Reed [Jarran Reed], B. Jack [Branden Jackson], all them boys in my [defensive] room. I respect them guys."

Before the start of the league year in March, Clowney reportedly sought $20 million or more per year as part of a mega-deal that would place him among the highest paid players at his position. But his market failed to develop as anticipated due to a number of different factors.

First and foremost, the coronavirus pandemic has prevented players from traveling to team facilities for physicals. Given Clowney's injury history, which includes microfracture surgery on his knee back in 2014 as well as recent core surgery, the inability to conduct a medical evaluation certainly has put a cap on his market value for the time being.

While his numbers don't match how well he played in his first season with the Seahawks, Clowney also produced just 3.0 sacks in 13 regular season games. Teams pay big bucks to elite pass rushers and though he's earned three Pro Bowl nods, he's never emerged as a top-tier sack artist and hasn't reached double digit sacks in any of his six NFL seasons.

"I don't know what people think, if I'm hurting because of what I went through, because of the core [surgery] or previous years or what, I don't know, but I just want to let people know I'm ready," Clowney said. "I'll be ready to go whenever the time comes, and whoever I sign with is going to get the best version of me."

As part of his interview with Clowney, Berman posted several short clips of Clowney working out in Houston on Twitter, providing an opportunity for suitors to see him in action several months after surgery. Such a move could potentially increase interest, though his medical history remains a red flag for interested teams, which could mean he'll remain unsigned for a bit longer.

"I was getting fed up with it. It was nerve-wracking," Clowney said of his lack of offers in free agency. "I'm just waiting on the right opportunity and the right timing for me."

At some point, Clowney knows he will sign somewhere and he's not letting how the past few months have played out bring him down. Instead, he will continue to train and patiently wait things out - possibly even until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted - with hopes of finding the right fit for the right price, whether with the Seahawks or another team.

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