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Former Cowboys DE, No. 1 Pick is Perfect Seahawks Reunion Target in Free Agency

The Seattle Seahawks may look to bring back one of their former pass rushers.
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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The Seattle Seahawks are in need of adding some depth to their pass rush rotation after losing Boye Mafe to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mafe signed a three-year deal worth $60 million early in free agency with the Cincinnati Bengals, so the team needs to figure out how to replace his production. It might make sense for the Seahawks to target a player that has been with them once before.

Jadeveon Clowney has become a journeyman in the NFL ever since he was traded by the Houston Texans to the Seahawks in 2019. Since then, he has played for the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, and Dallas Cowboys, never staying in one place for more than two seasons.

Perhaps it is time for Clowney to have a chance at winning a Super Bowl again by signing with the Seahawks.

Seahawks Should Sign Jadeveon Clowney

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney reacts after a sack against Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney reacts after a sack against Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Clowney began his career as the number one overall pick by the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL Draft. He played his first five seasons with the team and made it to the Pro Bowl three times from 2016 to 2018 after his fifth season in Houston. The Texans placed the franchise tag on Clowney, which led to the possibility of him being traded. The Seahawks were the ones to bite on a deal, acquiring him just before the start of the 2019 campaign.

In his lone season in the pacific northwest, Clowney played 13 games, made 31 tackles, and sacked the quarterback three times. He also forced four fumbles, two of which he recovered, and one of them went for a touchdown. He also had the only interception of his career, which went 27 yards for a touchdown.

After the season, Clowney joined the Titans for the 2020 campaign, but a knee injury limited him to just eight games. He bounced back in 2021, recording nine sacks for the Cleveland Browns. A two-sack season in 2022 led him to look elsewhere in free agency. He had another good year with the Ravens in 2023, notching a career-high 9.5 sacks. While he was there, he worked with Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, who was the defensive coordinator at the time.

In free agency, Clowney earned a two-year $20 million deal with the Panthers, which was the closest team to his hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina. He was cut after one season with the team, but he once again redeemed himself last season with eight and a half sacks in 13 games with the Cowboys.

Clowney is still a free agent, going into the second week of free agency. Getting him with the Seahawks would put him in a familiar position with Macdonald. It would give him the opportunity to extend his career and join arguably the best defense in the league, which would absolutely benefit from his depth.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.