Titans Survived Saints' Creative Pitch to Get Clowney

The television show Survivor challenges its participants to “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.”

In the months-long pursuit of free agent Jadeveon Clowney, it was the Tennessee Titans that claimed the prize. They outlasted a number of other teams that spent their money elsewhere rather than deal with the uncertainty of the player’s vague timetable. At times during the offseason, those that reportedly pursued Clowney in earnest included the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets. At the end, Tennessee was up against the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks.

Titans officials, coaches and players believe the addition of a three-time Pro Bowler will help them outplay the vast majority of their opponents in the coming months. For a team that was a game away from playing in the Super Bowl last season, the expectations for 2020 are now even higher.

It was New Orleans, however, that did its best to outwit the Titans – and everyone else.

According to an NFL Network report over the weekend, the Saints’ last-ditch effort to land Clowney included an arrangement with another team, believed to be the Cleveland Browns. The other team agreed to sign Clowney for $15 million (a $10 million salary and an $5 million signing bonus) and immediately trade him to New Orleans for a second-round pick. The result would be that the Saints get Clowney for $10 million and give up a second-round pick for $5 million in salary cap relief.

New Orleans did not have nearly as much available salary cap space as Tennessee, which ultimately secured Clowney’s services for one year at $12 million with another $3 million possible through incentives, according to reports.

The Saints also could not offer the level of comfort Clowney will experience with the Titans. Coach Mike Vrabel was his defensive coordinator for one season in Houston (2017) and a position coach there during Clowney’s first three NFL seasons. A couple of Vrabel’s current assistants also were on those Texans’ staffs. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph, signed by Tennessee as a free agent earlier in the offseason, is a mentor and former teammate of Clowney’s as well.

Jadeveon Clowney just informed me he just let the #Saints know he's now chosen the #Titans. New Orleans made a last ditch push through the overnight to improve its deal & lure him away, but "it came down to familiarity over economics." Added "packing now to head there in morning"
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 6, 2020

Plus, it is unclear whether the NFL even would have approved the New Orleans deal.

Seattle, like Tennessee, pursued a possible pact with Clowney throughout the entire offseason. The Seahawks acquired the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft prior to the start of last season in a trade with Houston. In 13 games for Seattle, he registered three sacks, forced four fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had seven tackles for loss.

Clowney reportedly rejected several offers from Seattle throughout the offseason and in recent days, when the Titans and Saints got more aggressive in their respective approaches, the Seahawks waited too long to make a serious, final push.

Survivor ends when only one player’s tiki torch, which symbolizes life in the game, remains lit.

This week, Clowney will – for the first time – pull on a helmet that bears the Titans logo, which includes a depiction of flames burning brightly. Let the games begin.