In what’s becoming an annual trend, Jadeveon Clowney remains unsigned after the first free agent wave. After starting his career with the Houston Texans, the former first-overall pick spent the past few seasons bouncing around the league on a series of one-year deals. Not only has he yet to land a long-term contract, but the South Carolina product generally takes his dear sweet time signing his contract.
2024 is no different, as Jadeveon Clowney is the best free agent pass rusher still on the open market. Despite getting up there in years, the edge defender is coming off a strong 9.5-sack season and appears to have some juice left in his tank. While three teams are currently in the running for his services, the New York Jets appear to be the frontrunners.
During the Annual League Meeting, Jets General Manager Joe Douglas couldn’t stop raving about free agent Jadeveon Clowney. While no deal is imminent, it’s clear that Douglas hopes to add Clowney to what is quickly becoming one of the most high-risk, high-reward offenses in the league.
#Jets GM Joe Douglas says the team’s visit with Jadeveon Clowney was “outstanding. Spent about an hour just talking to him in my office and getting to know him. A very productive visit.” Says “no news to report” as of now on whether he’ll sign there. pic.twitter.com/GtMNI4TJRV
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 25, 2024
3 Teams Still In Bidding War For Jadeveon Clowney
The Jets are going all-in on the final years of Aaron Rodgers’ career, and they could use a veteran free agent like Jadeveon Clowney to climb to the top of the crowded AFC. However, they’re not the only teams looking for his services. The Carolina Panthers brought Clowney in a few weeks back, and Joe Person of The Athletic reports that the team is staying in touch with the former first-overall pick.
The Panthers are not going to win the Super Bowl any time soon, but they have added a decent amount of talent in the past few weeks. However, while they found a way to improve the offense, they lost their best defensive player in Brian Burns. While D.J. Wonnum is a fine free agent signee, they need a player like Jadeveon Clowney to properly replace the former first-round pick.
The final team in the Jadeveon Clowney free agent sweepstakes is the Baltimore Ravens. After posting the best record in the NFL, the team made it to the AFC Championship Game before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs. With a seemingly endless list of talented free agents, the Ravens already lost several key playmakers. Fortunately, the team found a way to retain Justin Madubuike and if they pair him with Clowney, they should have a strong pass rush in 2024.
Where Will He Sign?
Like just about every other free agent, Jadeveon Clowney will probably sign with the highest bidder. However, assuming all three offers are relatively equal, he’ll probably pick the New York Jets or Baltimore Ravens. With all due respect to the Carolina Panthers, this team is not going to win anything soon, and nobody goes out of their way to play on a losing team. Even if Bryce Young turns it around, this roster doesn’t have the talent to seriously compete for a title.
Even with all the Jets offseason additions, the Baltimore Ravens are still a better team. Clowney and the Ravens seem to have enjoyed their time together and both sides seem willing to run it back in 2024. However, the Jets have more money to spend, and a slight increase in dollars could lead Clowney to sign with a new organization for the sixth time in seven years.
The Jets are making the most noise, so they’re probably the frontrunners to sign Jadeveon Clowney as a free agent. Between the money and chance at winning it all, this team makes the most sense for the star pass rusher.
Main Photo: Mitch Stringer – USA Today Sports
