The Titans look to have company in their pursuit of Jadeveon Clowney. The Saints are now be in the mix, with ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini reporting both New Orleans and Tennessee are making strong pushes to sign the Pro Bowl pass rusher (Twitter link).
Clowney has listed New Orleans as a place he would like to land, while Tennessee has been one of the teams most closely linked to the former No. 1 overall pick this year. On Friday, head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed that the Titans have an offer out to the edge rusher, though he declined to go into further detail (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of the team website). Add the Jaguars to the mix as well, per Russini (on Twitter). While Pete Carroll did rule out a Clowney signing, Russini adds the Seahawks still view Clowney’s price tag as too high.
This could mean a high-stakes bidding war for the Titans, who have monitored Clowney for months. But the Saints are throwing an all-out attack at Clowney, per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who note Sean Payton has spoken to the free agent defender multiple times about a deal (Twitter link).
Both teams want Clowney under contract by Monday, Russini adds, noting Titans and Saints players and coaches are acting accordingly by attempting to persuade the former No. 1 overall pick (Twitter link). This would put him in position to clear COVID-19 protocols and be in uniform for Week 1. This now makes two straight years the 27-year-old talent has skipped training camp.
The Titans hold $22MM-plus in cap space; the Saints possess less than $7MM. However, New Orleans has approached multiple veterans about restructuring to free up room, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
While two unnamed teams remain in the Clowney mix, per NFL.com, the Saints entering the equation would be significant given Clowney’s previous interest and the team’s status as a Super Bowl frontrunner. The Saints have added Emmanuel Sanders and Malcolm Jenkins to a roster that already stood as one of the NFL’s best. Clowney would join a defensive front that already houses All-Pro Cameron Jordan and former first-round pick Marcus Davenport.
It is unclear if Clowney has dropped his price at the 11th hour, but that would make sense given the apparent acceleration of his market. The former Texans and Seahawks edge player sought a $20MM-per-year deal, then lowered it later in the spring. The Browns and Seahawks offered Clowney deals in the $15MM-AAV ballpark. The Ravens and Raiders have also been mentioned as Clowney suitors as well. The Browns redid Olivier Vernon‘s deal over the summer and have not been viewed as strong Clowney pursuers since.
The Titans may be growing frustrated with the three-time Pro Bowler, who apparently has been difficult to pin down recently. He would join Harold Landry and the recently signed Vic Beasley in Tennessee. The Seahawks would seemingly need Clowney most, but they have stood pat with lower-profile edge rushers all offseason. However, Seattle waited until roster cutdown day to reform their pass rush around Clowney last year. Regarding Jacksonville, Clowney may not be especially interested given his rebuffing of a trade to rebuilding Miami last year.
Didn’t realize the saints had ANY money left under the cap?
Yes, on this site either last night or the night before, significantly ($30 Mil+) over this years cap was the reason given for them shopping Kamara….what’s the story here?
This article says they’re only $7 Mill over the cap?
According to overthecap.com the Saints are just under 7 million in cap room.
JC is playing the game right. Why cares which team you sign with, just do 1-2 year deals and keep pace with the rising market. Be loyal to yourself and your family; everything else is just a job.
**Who cares….
I’m a bit confused JJ. Are you advocating players be only financial mercenaries or that they show loyalty to an organization and teammates as Alex Smith is doing?
Exactly, be financial merc’s. They get cut well before their contracts are up and the teams have no remorse about doing that. So why should the players be loyal when teams clearly aren’t?
As for Alex, DC kept him because of a few reasons (in my estimation).
1. The amount guaranteed money owed.
2. Great leader, & well liked.
3. Vet QB to help the younger QB’s.
4. Plus if they would have cut him, after 17 surgeries, the media would have even more to sling at the franchise. It would have been a terrible PR blunder (which Dan is capable of doing!)
5. And finally, Alex is the answer to your original question. Traded to KC then to DC. Where’s the loyalty from SF & KC?
But I don’t see DC resigning him next offseason. His contract is off the books.
OK, thanks my friend. In an earlier article I saw you showing your admiration for Alex (who would not be attempting any comeback if he didn’t feel some measure of loyalty to the Redskins and his teammates) so that is why I asked.
If you can’t get a longterm deal done, best to ring chase. Saints would be a great fit. A return to the Seahawks would be good too.
Ravens would be best
Clowney is an Uber version of Olivier Vernon. Over rated and soon to be over paid.
I continue to wonder how Clowney could be overrated when literally every article about him on any site is mostly full of people talking about how bad he is. And I also wonder how he could be overpaid, considering the fact that he’ll have to play on a very below market deal. So, by “overpaid”, I feel like you guys always just mean “paid at all”.
“I think he is overpaid, because he makes more than I do working at Walmart.” Sure the market dictates his value and he is much more talented in a field that makes more money and is higher valued, but I am mad he makes more than me!”
Please choose any team other than the Titans, Clown-ey.
I dont get it.
@Sam Robinson I think you meant “Pete Carroll *didn’t* rule out…”