Jadeveon Clowney has become a hired gun in the last few seasons of his career. He has set to sign a multi-year contract other than his rookie pact as the last four seasons have all been played out on one-year deals.
Following the expiration of his rookie contract, Jadeveon Clowney played with four different franchises in four seasons, going from the Houston Texans to the Seattle Seahawks via trade for the 2019 season. In 2020 he played with the Tennessee Titans before landing with the Cleveland Browns.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has spent two seasons in Cleveland but all signs are pointing toward him going elsewhere for the 2023 season. Jadeveon Clowney was openly unhappy about his situation there and is ready to take on a new challenge.
At 30 years old, he is running out of chances to land that lucrative, big-money deal. We have seen premier pass rushers get paid deep into their 30s as long as they remain productive. While a multi-year contract may be out of the question this season, another sizable one-year deal to prove his worth again is certainly attainable.
Where could the South Carolina product end up? One suggested landing spot is with the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have some salary cap concerns and need to figure out their quarterback situation, making Jadeveon Clowney on a one-year deal a good match.
Green Bay could use some pass-rushing depth, especially with the return of Rashan Gary up in the air after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 of the 2022 season. Without Gary in the lineup, the Packers’ pass rush was lacking outside of Preston Smith.
As a complementary pass rusher, Jadeveon Clowney has found some success. He was great playing opposite Myles Garrett with the Browns and J.J. Watt earlier in his career with the Texans. Opposite of Smith and eventually Gary, he should be able to find success getting after the passer.
However, where Jadeveon Clowney will help the team the most is in the running game. He is elite at setting the edge, which the Packers could certainly use. Last season, Green Bay was 26th in rushing yardage allowed and 28th in yards per rush.
Shoring up that area of their defense is just as important as finding pass-rushing depth. Jadeveon Clowney can help in both areas and will likely come at a relatively affordable price given the underwhelming production he had on the field in 2022.
