The first week of free agency has come and gone, and Jadeveon Clowney has yet to find a new home.
After a 9.5-sack season with the Baltimore Ravens, the former top pick by the Houston Texans has carved a nice role as a locker-room leader and pass-rushing specialist. As he looks for a new home in his 11th NFL season, there are plenty of questions he’ll have to answer.
Jadeveon Clowney Free Agency Best Fits
For a former first-overall pick, Clowney has struggled to live up to the hype that he once brought out of South Carolina. The former Texan, Brown, Seahawk, and Titan has never recorded more than 10 sacks in a single season.
Despite the lack of definitive numbers, Clowney has become an excellent situational pass rusher for every team he’s been on. Whether it’s on third down or as a total run defender, the value Clowney brings as a player now is something many teams are interested in discussing.
Speaking of interested teams, let’s go through which ones make the most sense.
Baltimore Ravens
Returning to Baltimore can and should be a priority for Clowney this offseason. He put forth an excellent season with the Ravens and could be the kind of situational pass rusher the organization desperately needs.
Players like Clowney won’t come cheap, but the idea of returning to a team he reached the AFC Championship Game with should be enticing enough for him to want to stay and try and win a title with the Flock.
New York Jets
After Bryce Huff left for Philadelphia in free agency, there’s a need in Florham Park for a situational edge rusher. Bringing in a veteran like Clowney could be the perfect fit for head coach Robert Saleh’s defensive philosophy.
Clowney had 9.5 sacks for Baltimore last season, just a half-sack shy of Huff’s mark with the Jets in 2023. To think the organization wouldn’t be able to get the best out of Clowney is wrong.
Adding to the enticement of an edge rusher like him, while Baltimore has lost some tremendous talent on the roster, the Jets have improved from last year’s 7-10 mark. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Clowney coming to New York makes a lot of sense.
Carolina Panthers
After trading Brian Burns for a measly second-rounder, the Carolina Panthers are looking to address their defense and will probably take some major hits next season.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Free Agents by Position
If Clowney is looking to join a team that can contend for a title in 2024, the Panthers won’t be his top choice. But the odds of getting a strong contract, and the ability to play a lot may be enticing for the former No. 1 selection.
Chicago Bears
You can never have too many pass rushers. The trade for Montez Sweat turned around the Bears’ defense in 2023 to become a lethal group that no team wants to play. Bringing in a veteran like Clowney will not only help the situational pass rush, but it will take pressure off the presumptive QB1 selected in April’s draft.
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Zero cred when the writer fails to recognize that Clowney had a resurgence (andthe best season of his career) under Mike McDonald, who is now the Seahawks head coach. Couldn’t connect the dots when the Seahawks are a former team of Clowney. A+ article right here…..