Jadeveon Clowney, the three-time Pro Bowl defensive end, is in Seattle. Clowney will reportedly finally sign his franchise tender, which will then allow the Houston Texans to trade him to the Seattle Seahawks.
Jadeveon Clowney Joining Seattle Seahawks
The Trade
The Texans will receive a 2020 third-round pick, DE/OLB Barkevious Mingo and linebacker Jacob Martin. This deal absolutely helps the Seahawks who are in need of another pass rusher. Seattle did sign Ezekiel Ansah earlier this off-season, but Frank Clark is now with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jarran Reed is suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season.
Giving up a third-round pick in next year’s draft doesn’t hurt Seattle too much as they will still have four picks in the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft after making this deal with Houston.
Clowney’s Numbers
Clowney, a former number one overall pick by the Texans in 2014, had 47 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery last season. He missed significant time in his first two seasons due to knee issues, but Clowney’s 53 tackles for loss over the last three seasons ranks third in the NFL.
Franchise Tag
Clowney’s franchise tender is for $15.967 million for the 2019 season. The Texans tagged him as a linebacker instead of a defensive end, even though Clowney played most of his snaps at defensive end last season. That move means he would make $15.443 million instead of $17.128 million, but since players make either the tag value or 120% of last year’s salary, whichever is higher, Clowney will play for the $15.967 in 2019, once he actually signs the tender.
He will have to sign the tender in order for this deal to go through though. The deadline for teams to sign franchised players to long-terms deals was July 15, so Clowney cannot sign a long-term deal with any team, including the Seahawks once he is traded, until after the 2019 season.
This move could help the Seahawks this season in an area where they needed to upgrade. They may not necessarily sign Clowney to a long-term deal once the season is over, but Clowney has shown what he is capable of, especially when he wants to prove something to get a new contract. Seattle could very well get the best version of Clowney this season which would make this trade worth it, no matter what happens in the future.
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