Jadeveon Clowney is one of the best pass rushers left on the free agent market. Selected with the first-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the South Carolina product spent the past few years bouncing around the league on one-year contracts. Now entering his age-31 season, Clowney is likely looking for a long-term commitment, and he might just get it.
The three-time Pro Bowler thrived during his lone season with the Baltimore Ravens, as he tied a career-high with 9.5 sacks, 43 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, and 19 quarterback hits. Stopping opposing aerial attacks has never been so important, and guys like Clowney who can get after the quarterback consistently are going to get good deals in free agency.
As of this posting, the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets have scheduled visits with Jadeveon Clowney, while the Baltimore Ravens remain interested in bringing back the free agent.
Free agent Jadeveon Clowney, meeting with the #Panthers this evening, is slated to visit the #Jets next week, sources say. So Clowney is currently slated to explore multiple options before making a decision on where he will play in 2024. pic.twitter.com/yqUmtwddeK
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 15, 2024
3 Teams Emerge As Favorites To Sign Free Agent Jadeveon Clowney
Nobody should expect Jadeveon Clowney to sign as a free agent any time soon. His visit with the Jets isn’t until next week, and the former first-overall pick likes to take his time on the open market. He didn’t sign until August last year, and while he probably won’t wait that long this time around, it still might take a while before he makes up his mind.
It will be interesting to see if another team joins the Jadeveon Clowney free agent sweepstakes. While he is on the older side, the South Carolina product is coming off a strong season and offers plenty of upside against both the run and the pass. Perhaps more teams will emerge once guys like Chase Young find new homes, but for now, these three teams are the ones to beat.
Best Fits
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers need some help on the edge. Despite trying to make him a foundational cornerstone in a rebuild, the Panthers simply could not agree to terms with Brian Burns. Rather than letting him walk for nothing, Carolina decided to trade him to the New York Giants for a second and fifth-round pick. This leaves the Panthers with a glaring weakness at edge defender, and Jadeveon Clowney could be the perfect short-term fix as a free agent. The only question is whether they have enough money to sign him, as Carolina has been one of the more active teams in free agency.
New York Jets
The New York Jets aren’t as desperate for an edge defender as the Panthers, but they do need somebody to replace Bryce Huff. While Huff is a pure pass rusher who lacks strength against the run, Clowney is a three-down player who is good at everything, but not great at any one thing. While this means he won’t be a 1:1 replacement for Huff, perhaps the Jets prefer a more well-rounded player on a cheaper deal.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens led the league in sacks last year, but they’re going to have a tough time replicating that feat in 2023. With a seemingly endless list of free agents, the Ravens can’t possibly afford to bring everyone back. However, if they can keep Jadeveon Clowney as a cheap free agent, they’re going to do it. The South Carolina product played a crucial role on the defense and Baltimore’s in-house options to replace him are relatively unproven, especially since Tyus Bowser is not a free agent. The Ravens might not be able to match the Jets or Panthers in a bidding war, but they’ll do everything they can to keep Clowney around.
Main Photo: Mitch Stringer – USA Today Sports
