The Carolina Panthers made headlines yesterday, outbidding the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets to sign Jadeveon Clowney to a two-year deal. From a purely on-field standpoint, Clowney will go a long way in replacing the departed Brian Burns. While he is older, the former first-overall pick was more productive than Burns last year and one of the most efficient edge rushers on a per-snap basis.
While there are plenty of on-field reasons to love the Jadeveon Clowney signing, the Panthers also give Clowney himself a chance to stay close to home. A South Carolina native who also spent his college years in the state, most of Clowney’s family live in the area. During a recent conversation with Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the pass rusher spoke about how excited he is to play for his hometown team.
“We’re going to be just 30 minutes from home. It’s where we do all our community and foundation work going into season 11. Plus, my Grandaddy is getting older; and last year we had a lot of losses in our family. So honestly, it just feels like a a full circle moment being closer.”
I just got off the phone with Jadeveon Clowney and his wife seconds after they hung up with the #Panthers on his decision to join Carolina. Clowney's mother had not even yet heard the news at the time:
"We're going to be just 30 minutes from home. It's where we do all our… pic.twitter.com/bTr1A40fi9
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 27, 2024
Jadeveon Clowney Excited To Play For Hometown Panthers
Jadeveon Clowney isn’t the only member of his family to be excited about the Panthers signing. Anderson also spoke with his wife, Nijah, who shared similar feelings.
“He spoke with Ravens. He also liked his visit with Jets. Both places were fits, but the Panthers pursued the hardest. This is a special day for us.”
Jadeveon Clowney is just one of many veterans the Carolina Panthers brought in over the offseason. While this team isn’t quite ready to compete for a Super Bowl, they’ve done a remarkable job of improving the roster. On the offensive side of the ball, the team secured the offensive line with Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis while giving Bryce Young an improved receiving room with Diontae Johnson.
Defensively, the Panthers replaced Brian Burns with Jadeveon Clowney and D.J. Wonnum while securing the defensive tackle position with A’Shawn Robinson. While no individual player matches Burns’ raw potential, this group can collectively replace the expensive star. Additionally, while the team lost Frankie Luvu, they managed to sign Josey Jewell to fill that role.
Of course, the Panthers might not be done yet. The team could still use some help in the secondary, and Carolina has reached out to Stephon Gilmore about a potential reunion. While the former Defensive Player of the Year should have multiple suitors, Jadeveon Clowney could help bring Gilmore to the Panthers.
Could Stephon Gilmore Sign In Carolina?
While Jadeveon Clowney and Stephon Gilmore are good on-field fits for the Panthers, there is one big off-field reason that could bring the two together. These two NFL stars attended the same high school and even played on the same football team.
Jadeveon Clowney spoke about how playing for the Panthers feels like coming home, and Gilmore will share the same feelings. Armed with approximately $9.5 million in cap space, Carolina should be able to make a competitive offer and secure the defense with two homegrown stars. Even if this team doesn’t make a playoff run in 2024, they should dramatically improve on their 2-15 finish last year.
Main Photo: Kiyoshi Mio – USA Today Sports
