Jadeveon Clowney, OLB/Edge, Houston Texans
The Packers should let Clay Matthews walk and pay for a massive upgrade like Clowney. There are a variety of alternative options out there like Brian Orakpo, Shane Ray, Dee Ford, and others, but no edge rusher looks better on paper than Clowney.
Are the Houston Texans about to let the former #1 overall pick walk in free agency? I doubt it, but perhaps he’ll want too much money or they’ll decide to go in a different direction.
I think he stays in Houston, but Green Bay should still gauge their options here. Clowney has had some injury issues in the past and will not be cheap, but they whiffed on trading for Khalil Mack and are still feeling the bite from that.
Landing the 25-year old Clowney would get Green Bay a premier pass rusher and help boost a defense that has actually improved in 2018. If they can’t pull this off, they still need to address the pass rush somehow given Matthews’ likely departure and injuries to Nick Perry.