As the doldrums of the NFL offseason begin to sink in, the top remaining free agents start to get desperate. Such has been the case for former all-pro defensive end, Jadeveon Clowney. Originally seeking a deal worth $20M per season, Clowney hasn’t garnered much interest in free agency. He’s reportedly lowered his asking price to $17-$18M, but teams still aren’t biting.
Mark Berman of Fox26 Houston, posted a video on Twitter of Clowney conducting a workout. The tweet mentions the teams who have shown interest in Clowney this offseason; the Seahawks, Browns, Ravens, Titans, and the Eagles.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsFree agent DE Jadeveon Clowney (@clownejd)works at @PlexAthlete in Houston with Plex director @itsdannyarnold. Clowney acknowledges @Seahawks remain on his radar,loved playing there. Other teams expressing interest according to NFL sources incl @Browns, @Ravens, @Titans & @Eagles pic.twitter.com/104lG2XS4b
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 6, 2020
However, the Eagles rumor was short lived as Adam Schefter quickly stomped it out. During an appearance on 97.5 the Fanatic, Schefter said the rumors are nothing serious for now and it’s more than likely Clowney needed a fifth team to help drum up interest. There doesn’t seem to be anything imminent on the horizon.
But the question stands, should the Eagles pay big money to the man who concussed their franchise QB in the playoffs?
The short answer: no. At his current asking price, the Eagles can’t afford him. According to over the cap, the Eagles currently have $23.5M in cap space, which is really about $20M when you take into account rookie contracts. They have some money to play with for now, but players like Darius Slay, Javon Hargrave, and Brandon Graham are scheduled for big pay increases next year. Despite the appearance they have money at their disposal, Howie Rosemen needs to be smart and avoid putting the Eagles in an even bigger financial hole next offseason.
While the Eagles shouldn’t run and sign Clowney tomorrow, they would be smart to stay interested and keep an eye on how his market develops. To an extent, this feels like deja vu all over again. Last season, the Texans openly shopped Clowney around the league because they didn’t want to pay him. After months of on going speculation, he was eventually sent to the Seahawks for a third-round pick and some players. Not the type of haul you’d expect when shopping a former first overall pick. The Eagles were closely connected to Clowney during trade negotiations, but ultimately decided against the trade; a decision that haunted the Eagles in hindsight all last season.
Clowney now finds himself in a similar situation. He wants more money than teams are willing to pay and potential suitors are losing interest. The Seahawks have already stated that they won’t sign him unless he seriously lowers his asking price. Things are setting up well for the Eagles to swoop in on Clowney, much like Seattle did a year ago.
The Eagles are in a unique position because they have money, just not in the long term. If Clowney’s value continues to drop, he could be talked into a short-term deal to reestablish his market. Something in the one-year, $16-17M range could be in the best interest for both the Eagles and Clowney.
The Eagles’ pass rush was ineffective all too often last season. Their entire defensive philosophy is based on getting pressure through the defensive line. They have depth along their defensive front, but more help on the edge wouldn’t be the worst idea. They have yet to address the defensive end position this offseason and it still stands as a need. Brandon Graham isn’t getting any younger and the jury is still out on Derek Barnett. Clowney would serve as an upgrade over anything the Eagles currently have. PFF gave him an 87.3 grade last season, an elite grade for the position and better than any Eagles defensive end.
Fans might not love the idea of signing someone with a history of hitting Philadelphia QBs, but he’d be a great addition to the Eagles front seven. Clowney is one of the best run stoppers in football, can lineup at multiple positions, and would add dynamic athleticism the Eagles lack on the edge.
Snowballs & Batteries 