The first overall pick in 2014, veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney could call time on his career with his head held high after a stellar career spanning 12 NFL seasons. In those 12 years, Clowney has amassed 66.5 sacks, 450 tackles, 120 tackles for loss, and a pick-six, across spells with seven different NFL franchises.
But on the back of an 8.5-sack season with the Dallas Cowboys, it’s highly likely we’ll see the veteran terrorizing quarterbacks again in 2026. But which teams should be most interested in the 33-year-old pass rusher in free agency?
5 Potential Landing Spots for Jadeveon Clowney in Free Agency
Where Clowney ends up next will, of course, depend on which teams show interest, and here are five teams that have good reason to make contact. From Super Bowl contenders to complete rebuilds, here are five teams in need of help on the edge.
Green Bay Packers
You wouldn’t expect a team that traded for Micah Parsons last summer to have a desperate need on the edge, but here we are.
The Green Bay Packers’ 36 sacks were tied for the 12-fewest in 2025, and the team just traded Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys before free agency. Next man up, Lukas Van Ness, finally took a step forward in Year 3, but that still yielded only 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss.
Rookie fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton is an interesting prospect, but he profiles as a raw power rusher who will need time to refine his technique. Clowney would immediately raise the floor of the Packers’ defensive line, while providing an experienced head to steady the ship while his young teammates develop.
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Detroit Lions
Remaining in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions have had wretched luck with injuries in recent seasons, having been hit hard on the edge in 2024 and at defensive back in 2025.
The Lions are also yet to find a long-term partner for star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, and just lost Al-Quadin Muhammad to free agency after a breakout 11-sack season. The team hopes second-round rookie Derrick Moore will be the player they’ve been looking for, but adding Clowney would take the pressure off the former Michigan star.
Regardless of how quickly Moore finds his feet, the Lions can’t afford another lost year on defense, with a stacked roster that should be competing for Super Bowls every season. In a perfect world, Moore dominates opposite Hutchinson from Day 1, while Clowney provides rotational impact and much-needed injury insurance.
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San Francisco 49ers
Speaking of injuries, if there is one team that appears to have offended the football gods in recent years, it’s the San Francisco 49ers. From Dre Greenlaw’s heartbreaking sideline injury in the Super Bowl to Christian McCaffrey’s struggles to the injury plague of 2025, this team can’t catch a break.
Kyle Shanahan’s men are running out of time to win it all, with multiple star players nearing the end of their careers. With that in mind, age shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to additions, making Clowney the perfect pick-up to play opposite Nick Bosa.
Also, with Bosa and teammate Mykel Williams both returning from season-ending ACL tears, having an extra body to rotate in could be invaluable early on. The 49ers no longer have Robert Saleh to perform his miracles on the sidelines, so building defensive depth should be a priority ahead of September.
Arizona Cardinals
Also in the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals have some enviable pieces for a rebuilding team, particularly on offense. However, having already lost Calais Campbell in free agency, rumors persist about a potential trade for star pass rusher Josh Sweat.
Campbell and Sweat accounted for 18.5 of Arizona’s 30 total sacks last season, with no other player on the team tallying more than two. Even with both of their veteran stars, the team’s 30 sacks were tied for the third-fewest in the NFL, highlighting the depth of the hole the team is in. According to PFN’s Defense Impact Metric, the Cardinals’ defense posted an impact score of 65.0 last season, ranking fourth-worst in the league.
That issue won’t be fixed quickly, and with a potential need for a first-round quarterback in next year’s draft, veteran free agents will likely be needed next year, too. Adding Clowney would give the Cardinals a solid pass rush opposite Sweat or allow them to cash in on their defensive star to further fund their rebuild.
Las Vegas Raiders
Away from the NFC, the Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a strikingly similar situation to the Cardinals. Stuck at the bottom of a division that boasts three Super Bowl contenders, with a growing number of young offensive weapons, and a valuable star pass rusher.
The team is clearly open to trading Maxx Crosby, having agreed to a trade with the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the year. They may not get the two first-round picks they missed out on at the time, but that doesn’t rule out a trade before the season starts.
Just as he would in Arizona, Clowney would provide solid production opposite the team’s primary rusher, or soften the blow of any trade.
