Will Clowney Make a Quick Decision This Time?
Jadeveon Clowney may not make his next team wait as long as he made the Tennessee Titans wait.
One of the biggest names remaining on the free-agent market, the three-time Pro Bowl defensive end has recently intensified the search for his next NFL destination.
The Cleveland Browns have reportedly been the most interested in Clowney, who played just eight games for the Titans last season. Cleveland will host him at the team headquarters for a second time this offseason on Wednesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
ESPN’s Diana Russini subsequently reported that the Browns are in talks with Clowney and “hoping to get a deal done soon.”
It’s an interesting development considering that the Browns put forth a lucrative offer to Clowney last summer before he ultimately signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Titans in early September.
In March, NBC Sports columnist Peter King wrote that Clowney’s lone season in Tennessee crushed his market value. The first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has made nearly $56 million in seven seasons, including $12.25 million from the Titans in 2020. More than half of his career earnings to date were paid in bonuses (signing, roster, per game).
It makes sense that Clowney may have to adjust his expectations for 2021. His productivity has diminished in recent seasons.
In his eight games with the Titans, he made 19 tackles and four tackles for a loss. While he had 10 quarterback pressures, he did not record a single sack. He ended the season on injured reserve after he elected to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
He signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 2019 season and made just three sacks in 13 contests.
Clowney spent his first five NFL seasons with the Houston Texans and made 29 sacks in all. Nearly two thirds of those came in 2017 (9 ½) and 2018 (9).
While the Browns have emerged as somewhat of a favorite to land Clowney, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Monday that the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts have also kept a close eye on him this offseason.
