Jadeveon Clowney - Pro Football Rumors

Browns To Host Jadeveon Clowney Again, Deal Likely?

April 11th, 2021 at 7:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Things appear to be heating up between Jadeveon Clowney and the Browns. Cleveland is arranging a second visit for the free agent edge rusher, likely for Monday, a source told Josina Anderson (Twitter link). The belief is that the sides will be able to work out a contract during that visit, sources told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports (Twitter link).

Clowney initially met with the Browns back on March 24th. No deal materialized at the time, but we heard about a week later that the team was still very much interested, so this second visit isn’t too surprising. During Clowney’s last free agency in 2020, the Browns were reportedly his best multi-year offer, so they’ve been after him for a while. Rather than take that multi-year deal from Cleveland, Clowney opted to sign a one-year, $13MM pact with the Titans.

That didn’t work out, as injuries limited him to only eight games last season. In those eight games, he had zero sacks, and he’ll now likely have to settle for a significantly cheaper deal. The Browns are letting Olivier Vernon walk, and we’ve heard all offseason that their plan was to bring in a big name edge guy to pair with Myles Garrett.

They signed former first-rounder Takk McKinley last month, but that apparently wasn’t enough to satisfy them. The first overall pick of the 2014 draft, Clowney has never quite lived up to his potential and has often struggled with health issues, but he’s also shown he can be a legit disruptor along the defensive front.

His sack numbers have never been anything eye-popping (career-high 9.5 in 2017), but he’s capable of setting the edge with the best of them and being a very strong presence in the run game. The 28-year-old made the Pro Bowl three straight years from 2016-18, and it sounds like he’s getting closer to finding his third NFL home.

North Notes: Clowney, Vaitai, Parks

April 1st, 2021 at 9:19pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up a few notes from the North divisions:

For the second year in a row, Jadeveon Clowney is drawing interest from the Browns. Though Clowney’s recent visit to Cleveland did not result in a contract, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the Browns still want to sign him if the price is right (and assuming the team is comfortable with his health). Clowney ultimately settled for a one-year, $13MM pact from the Titans last year after originally seeking a multi-year contract with an AAV of $20MM, and any deal he signs this year will likely be for much less than last year’s $13MM salary. But new Browns acquisition Malik Jackson believes Cleveland has what it takes to win the Super Bowl in 2021, and he suggested that Clowney should jump at the chance to sign up with the Browns. “If you want to hop on board, come hop on board,” Jackson said. “I understand the free agency market is not what he probably wants, but things are bigger than monetary value. You get a chance to be on a good team and set yourself up in the future.”
When the Lions signed Halapoulivaati Vaitai to a five-year, $50MM contract last offseason, most expected he would suit up at right tackle. He missed six games in 2020 due to injury, but he played five games at guard, four games at tackle, and he split time between the two positions in one other game. New head coach Dan Campbell says he currently plans to slot the TCU product at guard (via Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website). “[W]e’re a little intrigued about moving him inside to guard.” Campbell said. “That does intrigue us. We may as a starting point work there and see where we’re at.” Campbell should have a solid group to protect QB Jared Goff, with Taylor Decker at LT, Jonah Jackson at LG, Frank Ragnow at C, Vaitai at RG, and a deep OL draft to add a quality rookie at RT.
Before the Vikings signed former Cowboys safety Xavier Woods as part of their overhaul in the secondary, they tried to land Will Parks, as Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. Parks spent the first four years of his career in Denver before signing a one-year pact with the Eagles last offseason. He didn’t make it through the 2020 season with Philadelphia, as he was waived late in the season and was claimed by the Broncos (though the Vikings put in a claim as well). But according to Wolfson, Minnesota wanted to bring in Parks on a veteran minimum pact — which the club also tried with Woods — and Parks turned them down.

Jadeveon Clowney Visits Browns

March 24th, 2021 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year, the Browns spent months attempting to bring Jadeveon Clowney to Cleveland. They ended up doing so, on a visit at least. Clowney arranged a meeting with the Browns, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The parties are met Wednesday, with Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweeting the summit has concluded.

The veteran defensive end is coming off an unremarkable season with the Titans, with injuries limiting him yet again. Despite his seven years of NFL experience, however, Clowney is just 28. And he is one of the top free agents still available. No deal is imminent, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. With Clowney not yet 100% after a 2020 knee injury, teams’ caution makes sense.

This comes at an interesting time for the Browns. They chased J.J. Watt in free agency and have been rumored to be prepared to devote notable resources to adding a bookend pass rusher opposite Myles Garrett. Olivier Vernon played that role for two seasons, but the Browns attempted to sign Clowney to replace him last year. Vernon is now a free agent and coming off an Achilles tear. And the Browns, despite being linked to several veteran sack artists, remain understaffed at the D-end spot opposite Garrett.

The Browns did add Takkarist McKinley, but they will certainly add more pieces to help on their defensive front. They agreed to terms with Malik Jackson last week as well, and although Jackson has experience playing end in a 4-3 scheme, he has mostly served as an inside rusher in his nine-year career. Clowney has experience inside as well, but he would qualify as a starter-caliber player opposite Garrett on the edge.

Clowney was not high on Cleveland last year, but his value took a hit last season. Although Clowney is not known for his sack prowess, he recorded zero in eight Titans games. Since his 2018 Pro Bowl season with the Texans — the most recent of his three Pro Bowl slates — Clowney has just three sacks. The Seahawks opted to let Clowney walk after the 2019 season, and he spent months in free agency before joining the Titans on a one-year, $13MM deal. His next team will be able to land him at a cheaper rate.

One of the league’s top run-defending edge players, Clowney has battled injuries for most of his career. The former No. 1 overall pick suffered a torn meniscus last year, and although he is expected to be ready for football work by April, he has a history of knee issues. A groin injury hampered him in Seattle.

Titans’ Jadeveon Clowney Expects To Be Cleared In April

March 2nd, 2021 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

Jadeveon Clowney expects full medical clearance by April, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Clowney underwent surgery to repair his torn meniscus but already believes that he’s close to being ready.

In other words, this is shaping up to be another extended free agency tilt for the Titans edge rusher. Last year, his knee kept him on the sidelines for half of the season. In eight games, Clowney notched 19 tackles, one forced fumble, and zero sacks.

Clowney has said that he wouldn’t mind staying with the Titans. Whether the Titans want him back is another question. The veteran did not live up to his one-year, $12MM deal, though the former No. 1 overall pick isn’t far removed from Pro Bowl days. From 2016 through 2018, Clowney averaged 8.2 sacks and two forced fumbles per season, solidifying him as one of the best edge rushers in the game. Of course, injuries have gotten in the way — he’s only turned in one full 16-game slate as a pro.

Despite the weak platform year, it’s worth noting that the advanced metrics were still fond of his work. At the time of his season-ending injury, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 16th-best edge player in the league. PFF also gave him above-average marks in both run defense and pass coverage.

Jadeveon Clowney Open To Re-Signing With Titans

February 4th, 2021 at 9:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Jadeveon Clowney‘s stop in Tennessee may last beyond the 2020 season. A source told Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com that the pass rusher is “definitely open” to returning to the Titans next season. The 27-year-old is still expected to test free agency this offseason, but “the Titans apparently remain an option to re-sign him.”

After sitting unsigned for months, Clowney eventually joined the Titans on a one-year, $12MM deal last offseason. The former first-overall pick failed to collect a sack in any of his eight regular season games, and he ultimately finished the season having compiled 19 tackles, one forced fumble, and six quarterback hits. A left meniscus injury (and subsequent surgery) ultimately knocked Clowney out for the season.

Of course, Clowney isn’t far removed from his stretch of three-straight Pro Bowl appearances. From 2016 through 2018, the former Texans standout averaged 8.2 sacks and two forced fumbles per season. Clowney has only appeared in 16 games once throughout his career, although that injury risk will surely depress his value in free agency.

As McCormick notes, a reunion would make sense for the Titans. The team lacks depth at outside linebacker, and they finished with the third-fewest sacks in the league last season. Plus, Clowney has a relationship with head coach Mike Vrabel that dates back to their time in Houston.

Jadeveon Clowney Done For Season

December 6th, 2020 at 11:46am CST by Rory Parks

The Titans placed edge defender Jadeveon Clowney on injured reserve a little over two weeks ago, and the team hoped he might be back in time for a playoff push. However, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Clowney underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair his left meniscus and will require several months of rehab. As such, his season is over.

Clowney was perhaps the most-discussed player on the market this year, and his long free agency journey finally culminated in a one-year, $13MM pact with the Titans in August. Tennessee’s return on its investment was underwhelming, to say the least, as Clowney failed to produce a sack in eight games with the team.

Still, as has generally been the case with Clowney, the raw sack totals do not necessarily tell the whole story. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics peg him as the 16th-best edge player in the league, out of 106 qualifiers, and PFF gives him above-average marks in both run defense and as a pass rusher (he grades exceptionally high in pass coverage).

That is perhaps why the Titans still have interest in re-signing Clowney. Rapoport says Tennessee could explore a new deal if the price is right, and given that the former No. 1 overall pick will be coming off a second consecutive disappointing season in terms of surface-level stats, he could very well be had on a modest contract.

The meniscus tear may also depress his market, especially considering his prior injury history. Fortunately, the latest injury was to his left knee, and the surgery was a straightforward affair with no complications. Earlier in his career, Clowney underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee.

He is expected to be fully recovered by the time free agency opens in March.

Titans Place Jadeveon Clowney On IR

November 21st, 2020 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jadeveon Clowney‘s bid at a long-term free agency deal did not go as expected this offseason, and his latest contract year has not unfolded especially well.

The Titans placed their big-ticket free agent pass rusher on IR Saturday. They had ruled Clowney out of Sunday’s game against the Ravens because of a knee injury, but he will now be out until at least Week 14.

Clowney missed Tennessee’s Week 8 tilt but returned to play in the team’s past two games. The former No. 1 overall pick, who signed a one-year deal worth $13MM in August, remains without a sack. He has not recorded a sack since November 2019, illustrating a Titans pass-rushing plan gone awry. The team cut free agency addition Vic Beasley earlier this month. Beasley joined Clowney in failing to register a sack as a Titan.

Although Clowney dealt with extensive knee trouble with the Texans — highlighted by microfracture surgery — he rebounded to make three Pro Bowls. But over the past two seasons, the well-rounded pass rusher’s stock has dropped thanks in large part to multiple injuries. Clowney considered meniscus surgery earlier this month but opted to return to Tennessee’s lineup. In light of Saturday’s news, it seems that operation has not been fully ruled out.

Clowney underwent surgery ahead of his 2018 season with Houston and missed time because of a core muscle injury with Seattle last year. However, this IR stay will result in Clowney entering Week 14 having missed at least five games. The 27-year-old defender has not been sidelined for that many contests since his 2014 rookie season. This will make Clowney’s pursuit of an elusive long-term deal more difficult.

The Titans promoted linebackers William Compton and Tuzar Skipper, along with cornerback Greg Mabin, and placed corner Kareem Orr on IR.

Injury Updates: T. Brown, Garoppolo, Clowney

November 8th, 2020 at 11:20am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up a few injury-related items from around the league.

Raiders OT Trent Brown is back on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Brown is expected to miss at least a month of action (Twitter link).
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports confirms a report from several days ago that 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo will not require surgery on his injured ankle, but the 29-year-old signal-caller is expected to miss at least a month (Twitter link). The injury further clouds Garoppolo’s uncertain future in San Francisco.
Titans edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is out for today’s game against the Bears. He is dealing with a meniscus issue and may ultimately opt for surgery.
The Browns have a bye this week, and next time they’re on the field, they hope to be rejoined by Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb (Twitter link via Rapoport). Chubb has been dealing with an MCL injury, and though Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson have played reasonably well in his absence, getting Chubb back will be a big boost to Cleveland’s playoff push.
Some may be wondering if WR Odell Beckham has already played his last game for the Browns, as he will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear and has never really embraced Cleveland. Kim Jones of WFAN reports that OBJ will undergo surgery to repair the ACL on Tuesday (Twitter link).
Ravens RB Mark Ingram left Baltimore’s game against the Eagles several weeks ago, and he still has not returned to action. Rapoport says Ingram is dealing with a high-ankle sprain (Twitter link), which explains the multi-week absence. Ingram has been ruled out for today’s game against the Colts, but younger backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins may be the better options anyway.
When the Eagles return to their facility following this week’s bye, they expect to have RB Miles Sanders back, and they believe WR Alshon Jeffery will be a full participant in practice (Twitter link via Rapoport).

Titans DE Jadeveon Clowney Considering Surgery

November 7th, 2020 at 10:27am CST by Ben Levine

Jadeveon Clowney is questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Bears, but there’s a chance he’ll be sidelined for longer than that. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the Titans defensive end is currently dealing with a meniscus issue in his knee.

All options are on the table for the 27-year-old, including surgery. As Garafolo notes, Clowney has tried to battle through the injury, and there’s a chance he continues playing at less than 100 percent.

Clowney missed most of his rookie campaign as he recovered from a torn meniscus, but he’s otherwise stayed healthy throughout his career. The former first-overall pick has only missed four regular season games since the start of the 2017 campaign.

Following a one-year stint with the Seahawks, Clowney inked a one-year, $12MM deal with the Titans back in September. He’s been a bit underwhelming in Tennessee; in seven games, he’s compiled 15 tackles and zero sacks. Clowney played at least 80-percent of his team’s defensive snaps through the first three weeks of the season, but that number dropped all the way to 62 percent during last weekend’s loss to the Bengals. Of course, both his production and decline in playing time could be attributed to the injury he’s currently dealing with.

AFC North Notes: Bullock, Hunt, Browns

September 16th, 2020 at 6:31pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals claimed K Austin Seibert off waivers from the Browns, and when that happened, most assumed that incumbent Randy Bullock would be placed on IR, or perhaps even released. However, head coach Zac Taylor said he expects Bullock to stay right where he is. “Randy’s our kicker,” Taylor said. (Twitter link via Ben Baby of ESPN.com).

Cincinnati suffered a difficult Week 1 loss against the Chargers, and Bullock shanked a 31-yard field goal try that would have sent the game to overtime. He also appeared to injure his left calf on the kick — though some are skeptical — but Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that the injury isn’t serious (Twitter link). In fairness to Bullock, he did make a 50-yarder and a 43-yarder earlier in the game, and he converted his only PAT.

The Bengals take on Seibert’s former employer in a divisional battle tomorrow night.

Now for more from the AFC North:

The Browns recently handed running back Kareem Hunt a two-year extension, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has a few details. As previously reported, the new money can max out at $13.25MM, and Hunt will take home base salaries of $4MM, $1.3MM, and $1.35MM over the next three seasons. The remaining money will come via roster bonuses designed to make sure that Hunt keeps himself out of trouble. One is tied to his making it to training camp without incident, one is tied to his making it to Week 1 without incident, and one is tied to his making it to the end of the season without incident. He will also receive weekly 53-man roster bonuses.
In the same piece linked above, Cabot reports that the Browns were indeed the team that would have been involved in a Jadeveon Clowney sign-and-trade with the Saints. In the proposed deal, which the NFL nixed, Cleveland would have signed Clowney to a one-year, $15MM contract, including a $5MM signing bonus. The team would have then shipped Clowney to New Orleans in exchange for a second-round pick and a player.
Cabot further notes that the Browns should be getting CB Greedy Williams back soon. Williams missed the team’s Week 1 loss to the Ravens with a shoulder injury but is not expected to land on IR.
The Steelers placed right tackle Zach Banner on IR yesterday.