There are many suitors for Jadeveon Clowney this offseason including the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans, but the Cleveland Browns still seem to be the odds-on favorite.
With $37 million in cap space, the Browns have more than enough money to go after him, and with their retooled offense and a talented young defense, Clowney would be a perfect capstone to a successful offseason in Cleveland.
If the Browns do sign Clowney this offseason, it would form them one of the scariest defensive lines in the league, with Myles Garrett on one side, and Clowney on the other with Sheldon Richardson in the middle and Olivier Vernon in reserve. From Clowney’s perspective, this is a great fit, with a great young secondary behind him and another star on the line demanding double teams. One can expect to see his sack numbers go up considerably from last year’s dismal total of three.
The Browns also have a solid defensive coordinator in Joe Woods. Woods has coached many great pass rushing talents including Von Miller, Khalil Mack, and Nick Bosa, just to name a few. For Clowney, being around a guy like Woods can only enhance his play.
From Cleveland’s perspective, Clowney fills a need, seeing as they are set on the offensive side of the ball for years to come. Cleveland boasts a fabulous core of Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., and Nick Chubb.
On the defensive side of the ball, they have some young talent led by an elite pass rusher in Garrett. Clowney can rush the passer, but can also play linebacker at times like he did when he was in Houston with the Texans.
The former No. 1 overall pick was selected Second-Team All-Pro back in his sophomore year in 2016 with Houston. During his time with the Texans, the South Carolina product amassed 29 sacks, including a career-high in 2017 with 9.5. Clowney also has proven himself in the playoffs and can bring some of that experience along with his leadership, which would be a big asset for a young Browns club with playoff aspirations. In five career playoff games, Clowney has 12 combined tackles, nine total tackles, and 1.5 sacks to go along with an interception.
With all this in mind, the Browns front office would be wise to jump on this opportunity to sign a proven veteran pass-rusher like Jadeveon. From Clowney’s perspective, there is nothing to lose as it was reported previously that the Browns made the highest offer.
According to @AdamSchefter, the Browns made a huge offer to Jadeveon Clowney and it was denied. pic.twitter.com/7lqOqlQr1v
— Cleveland Sports Talk (@CLEsportsTalk) May 27, 2020
Clowney is the last big free-agent domino to fall, and Cleveland could end up being the landing spot.
