Jadeveon Clowney - Pro Football Rumors

Jadeveon Clowney Won’t Get Extension From Texans, Will Play 2019 Under Franchise Tag

July 9th, 2019 at 4:18pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Jadeveon Clowney won’t be getting an extension from the Texans. The two sides aren’t going to get a deal done before the July 15th deadline, sources told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

That means that Clowney, the first overall pick back in 2014, will play the 2019 season under the franchise tag. The deadline for franchised players to get a new deal is in less than a week, and we hadn’t heard of much progress between the two sides, so this isn’t too shocking. While pushing for a new deal Clowney has been staying away from the team, and he didn’t attend the team’s mandatory minicamp last month.

Wilson reports that Clowney is “not expected to miss any games, but likely to miss at least a major portion of camp.” Clowney clearly isn’t too happy to be playing under the tag, and it sounds like he won’t be showing up until the last minute. After the Texans fired GM Brian Gaine, there were reports that his handling of the Clowney situation contributed to his firing.

The Texans are now in the unique situation of operating without a general manager. After they fired Gaine, they failed in their attempt to lure away Nick Caserio from the Patriots after New England filed tampering charges. Caserio’s contract is up after the 2020 draft, and the Texans are widely expected to make another run at him then. It’s possible that a new front office could be able to soothe things over with Clowney, but free agency will have come and gone by the time Caserio is out of his Patriots contract.

As of right now, it seems highly possible that this will be Clowney’s last season in a Texans uniform. Clowney has played very well, making the Pro Bowl each of the last three seasons, but Houston seems reluctant to reset the market and break the bank for him. In 15 games last year, Clowney had nine sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and three fumble recoveries.

Extension Candidate: Texans OLB Jadeveon Clowney

July 4th, 2019 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Jadeveon Clowney is no stranger to PFR’s Extension Candidates series. Last year, Clowney seemed poised for the big bucks, but the Texans elected to have him play out the 2018 on his $12.3MM fifth-year option. This year, they employed the $15.967MM franchise tag to cuff him, but Clowney has yet to sign his tender.

The two sides have until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. If Clowney is not signed to an extension by that date, Clowney will be on course for free agency after the season. While he has been kept in limbo and away from free agency riches, he is not completely without options. Last year, Le’Veon Bell elected to stay at home rather than signing his one-year tender with the Steelers and signed with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in March.

Clowney’s situation is complicated by a number of factors. Unhappy with the club’s lack of action, he abstained from the team’s mandatory minicamp. And, unless he signs his tender or gets the extension he wants, it’s unlikely that he’ll be involved in the team’s full training camp. Meanwhile, the Texans are without a GM following their surprising dismissal of Brian Gaine and failure to land Patriots exec Nick Caserio.

Will the Texans’ front office revamp breath new life into the longstanding standoff between the club and one of its top defenders? So far, that doesn’t appear to be the case – we’ve yet to hear any recent developments on a deal and the team, presumably, is still wary of a long-term commitment that would make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid edge rushers.

Depending on who you ask, the Texans may have shown a willingness to trade Clowney earlier this offseason. At this point, the Texans may have to commit, or get off the pot. Or, in other words, their only options may be to fork over a massive contract to the former No. 1 overall pick or trade him to a team that will.

Texans Notes: Gaine, Caserio, Clowney, Mathieu

June 10th, 2019 at 8:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Former Texans general manager Brian Gaine‘s firing shouldn’t be attributed to his inability to sign Jadeveon Clowney, writes Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. We heard last week that the former executive had made “zero” progress on an extension for the former number-one pick, and a lack of development may have played a role in his firing.

However, Breer said there wasn’t any organizational disagreement over the handling of Clowney. The team was interested in signing the linebacker on their terms, and they were content opting for the franchise tag. For what it’s worth, we learned earlier today that Clowney is not expected to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp. The three-time Pro Bowler has yet to sign the franchise tender as he continues to push for a multiyear pact.

So what was the main reason for Gaine’s firing? Breer points to a lack of “fit” and “alignment,” as the former general manager didn’t share the same vision as head coach Bill O’Brien. Furthermore, the reporter believes the team’s current pursuit of Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio also played a role in the decision.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Houston, all via Breer…

Speaking of Caserio, his relationship with O’Brien and executive vice president of team development Jack Easterby could play a role in him leaving New England. There’s been a perception that Caserio wouldn’t leave the Patriots, but the reporter points out that the executive had been closing to leaving before (he considered taking the Dolphins’ gig in 2014). Breer wonders if the Texans could also look to Patriots college scouting director Monti Ossenfort or former Patriots executive (and current Falcons assistant GM) Scott Pioli for the role.
There also wasn’t an organizational disagreement over the handling of Tyrann Mathieu. The team recognized that the Pro Bowl safety had lofty monetary demands, and they never intended to go as far as the three-year, $42MM deal he received from the Chiefs this offseason. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has been happy with Gaine’s replacement for Mathieu, Tashaun Gipson.
Following Gaine’s signing of a five-year extension in 2018, the majority of his moves have actually been lauded by the front office and coaching staff. Breer points to the one-year deal for Mathieu, and he also notes the general manager’s ability to add productive rookies (receiver Keke Coutee and safety Justin Reid) in the 2018 draft despite not having a first- or second-rounder. While his inability to add a competent offensive line in front of Deshaun Watson certainly played a role in his firing, Breer opines that the forced trade of Duane Brown wasn’t the GM’s decision.
The Texans coaching staff has been happy with second-round offensive tackle Max Scharping and third-round tight end Kahale Warring. They’re also a “big fan” of first-rounder Tytus Howard. However, many pundits believe the Howard selection was a bit of a reach, and Breer wonders if O’Brien and Easterby’s Patriots’ philosophy clashed with Gaine’s eventual decision (as the two would have preferred trading back).

Jadeveon Clowney Not Expected To Attend Minicamp

June 10th, 2019 at 6:51pm CST by Rory Parks

No surprises here, but Texans edge defender Jadeveon Clowney is not expected to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Minicamp opens tomorrow.

Houston has put the franchise tag, valued at $17.1MM, on Clowney, but Clowney has yet to sign the franchise tender as he continues to push for a multiyear pact. The deadline for the two sides to come to terms on such a deal is July 15.

If and when Clowney gets his contract, it will be a doozy. Given the premium that teams are now paying for edge rushing talent, and given that Clowney is also a force to be reckoned with in the run game, he may well end up making over $22MM per season with $50MM or more guaranteed at signing,

It’s unclear whether the Texans are still actively shopping Clowney, but the fact that the team is currently without a GM is doubtlessly delaying a resolution. But it sounds as though former GM Brian Gaine wasn’t exactly making much progress on a new deal for Clowney, which may have been a contributing factor in Gaine’s ouster.

The Texans have targeted Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio to replace Caserio, but regardless of whom they hire, the first order of business for the new top exec will be addressing the Clowney situation.

Fallout From Texans’ Brian Gaine Firing

June 7th, 2019 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Brian Gaine had little chance to showcase his roster-building vision through the draft, the since-fired Texans GM was in charge of significant extension talks. A lack of development on the Jadeveon Clowney front may have factored into his firing. The 17-month GM made “zero” progress on a Clowney extension, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com tweets. Gaine also called the Chiefs about a Clowney deal before the draft, per Robinson, and continued calling teams after Clark was traded to Kansas City. Clowney has been extension-eligible since the start of 2017. After word of prospective 2018 talks emerged, not much transpired on that front last year. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick is attached to a $17.1MM franchise tag. Houston’s next GM will have to deal with this situation, along with likely another J.J. Watt contract. The five-time All-Pro’s $16.7MM-AAV deal now looks remarkably team-friendly, given where the market has ventured.

Here is the latest out of Houston:

While this firing stunned the NFL-following world, it surprised many key Texans staffers as well. Some personnel people did not know this was on tap until moments before the organization released its statement, Robinson tweets. The Texans wrapped up their OTAs this week but still have their minicamp next week. That will almost certainly be conducted without a general manager. Of the GMs hired in advance of the 2018 season, Gaine was the only one whose team made the playoffs. Both Brian Gutekunst and Dave Gettleman oversaw sub-.500 seasons.
Despite joining the Texans this offseason, Jack Easterby looks set to have influence on who the team’s next GM will be. The recently appointed executive vice president of team development (a position the Texans recently created) has become a key figure in Houston’s front office, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Hired after a six-year run as the Patriots’ character coach, Easterby has become a close confidant of Bill O’Brien‘s, per Breer. This seems pivotal considering O’Brien will now be coaching alongside a third GM. Easterby is also close friends with Patriots VP of player personnel Nick Caserio, per the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain. Caserio is back on the Texans’ radar.
Another potential name to watch: Scott Pioli. The longtime Falcons exec and former Chiefs GM recently stepped down from his Atlanta post, but an NFL personnel man floated him as a prospective candidate to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Pioli, of course, ascended as a Patriots front office bastion. His and O’Brien’s New England stays overlapped by two years, from 2007-08.

Texans Shopping Jadeveon Clowney?

April 25th, 2019 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

It appears the Texans would not only be open to trading Jadeveon Clowney, they might be the ones making the calls.

In what would be the third tag-and-trade scenario involving an edge defender this offseason, the Texans have contacted teams about Clowney, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter).

The Texans made calls about possible Clowney trades just as the news broke of the Seahawks’ talks about dealing Frank Clark. Robinson categorizes the Texans’ situation with Clowney as similar to where the Seahawks stood with Clark. This is interesting, considering Houston does not have a quarterback contract like Russell Wilson‘s on its payroll and enters the first round of the draft with more than $41MM in cap space — second-most in the league.

Last week, Texans GM Brian Gaine expressed optimism about reaching an accord, though we haven’t heard positive news on that front. Clowney has been extension-eligible for two years now, and the sides have not been particularly close to a deal. They did not get close last year, when Clowney was tethered to a fifth-year option, and may not be near an agreement — hence the trade chatter — now that the outside linebacker is attached to a $17.1MM franchise tag.

With Clark and Lawrence now receiving $21MM-plus-AAV deals, Clowney likely is setting his bar higher. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick has battled injuries at multiple points in his career, including last offseason, but also made three straight Pro Bowls before turning 26. This will be an interesting situation to monitor.

Texans Open To Trading Jadeveon Clowney

April 25th, 2019 at 12:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Could Jadeveon Clowney be on the move? The Texans are open to trading the star linebacker, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via PFT).

Clowney was cuffed with the franchise tag earlier this offseason, but he has yet to sign his tender. Meanwhile, the two sides remain far apart on negotiations for a new deal.

Last week, Texans GM Brian Gaine expressed optimism about reaching an accord, though we haven’t heard positive news on that front.

“That’s the spirit of the franchise tag,” Gaine said. “You know, there’s a reason why we did that with every hope and intention to continuing to work on that. That’s a negotiation, it’s a process. It has to be a deal that makes sense for both sides, for the player, for the organization as it relates to short term and long term. That’s still the plan.”

Clowney wouldn’t be the first defensive star to be tagged-and-traded. Just this week, the Seahawks shipped standout Frank Clark to the Chiefs and Clowney could be the next to don a new jersey.

The outside linebacker was the No. 1 overall pick in 2015. Last year, he racked up nine sacks in 15 games. He’s also a difference-maker in the run game – he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ tenth-best edge defender in 2018.

Texans GM On Jadeveon Clowney Negotiations: “It’s A Process”

April 20th, 2019 at 11:54am CST by Ben Levine

Recent reports indicated that the Texans and Jadeveon Clowney haven’t made any progress on a long-term deal. However, general manager Brian Gaine said the two sides are still working on completing negotiations before the July 15th deadline.

“That’s the spirit of the franchise tag,” Gaine told Deepi Sidhu of HoustonTexans.com. “You know, there’s a reason why we did that with every hope and intention to continuing to work on that. That’s a negotiation, it’s a process. It has to be a deal that makes sense for both sides, for the player, for the organization as it relates to short term and long term. That’s still the plan.”

The Texans franchised Clowney last month, and the pass-rusher subsequently decided to skip out on the team’s offseason program. When those reports surfaced, we also heard that “no deal is in sight or expected anytime soon.” Clowney is set to make $15.44MM on the franchise tag in 2019. The two sides have until July 15th to negotiate an extension, per league rules. If the two sides don’t agree on a new deal, Clowney would have to play next season under the tag (or he could follow the Le’Veon Bell route and sit out the entire campaign).

Considering Clowney’s recent production, the 26-year-old should expect a lucrative contract. The former first-overall pick compiled nine sacks in 15 games last season, and he ultimately graded out as Pro Football Focus’ tenth-best edge defender. Some pundits believe that the deal Demarcus Lawrence just got from the Cowboys is a good sign for Clowney, and others believe that Frank Clark‘s standoff with the Seahawks could also provide some clarity.

Jadeveon Clowney Won’t Report To Texans’ Offseason Program, Deal Not Close

April 14th, 2019 at 7:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We just got word that Chris Harris Jr. will be skipping the Broncos’ minicamp this week, and now we have news that another defensive star will be staying away from his team.

Texans pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney will skip the team’s offseason program, sources told Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Wilson also writes that “no deal is in sight or expected anytime soon for Clowney.” Houston franchise tagged Clowney at the beginning of last month, and we haven’t heard much since. Many observers have said the deal Demarcus Lawrence just got from the Cowboys is a good sign for Clowney, but there has been little progress between the two sides.

Clowney is supposed to make $15.44MM in 2019 under the tag, but wants a longterm deal. The former first overall pick from South Carolina had a productive year last year, racking up nine sacks in 15 games. He’s also a difference-maker in the run game, and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ tenth-best edge defender last season.

Under NFL rules, the two sides have until July 15th to negotiate an extension. If they can’t come to an agreement by then, Clowney must play the 2019 season under the tag, or sit it out like Le’Veon Bell did. Clowney, who struggled with injury issues earlier in his career, has been able to stay healthy the past few seasons. He’s seeking top-of-the market money, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Texans decide to play this. Fellow pass-rusher Frank Clark is still waiting for a new deal from the Seahawks, and whichever one signs first could have a ripple effect on the other.

Details, Reactions To DeMarcus Lawrence Extension

April 6th, 2019 at 8:45am CST by Ben Levine

Last night, the Cowboys and star defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence agreed to a lucrative five-year contract extension. The deal is expected to be worth around $105MM ($65MM guaranteed), with others noting that the pass-rusher will definitely earn more than $20MM annually.

Now that the pass-rusher has inked his new contract, he’s set to go under the knife. Albert Breer of TheMMQB reports (via Twitter) that Lawrence will finally undergo shoulder surgery. The procedure is expected to take place next week.

Lawrence has been dealing with a torn labrum for the better part of two years, and recovery time is expected to take three to four months. As a result, the defender will likely be sidelined until training camp.

Let’s check out some more notes pertaining to Lawrence’s new contract…

Lawrence also received a $25MM signing bonus, reports David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). This probably helped to make up some of the discrepancy between the final contract and Lawrence’s asking price, as the lineman was reportedly seeking a contract that would pay him around $22.5MM per year. As Jon Machota of the Dallas News tweets, Lawrence will ultimately earn $31.1MM in the first year of the deal. For comparison’s sake, Khalil Mack earned $31MM last season.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the two sides made major strides on Thursday evening. Executive vice president Stephen Jones talked with Lawrence on the phone, and the two parties talked through any monetary issues. Less than 24 hours later, the two sides agreed to a deal.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the Lawrence contract is good news for Texans star Jadeveon Clowney and Seahawks standout Frank Clark (Twitter link). The reporter believes the two players now have parameters set for any future extensions, noting that the franchised pass-rushers could also expect to receive $20MM annually.