The 3pm CT deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extension came and went without a Jadeveon Clowney deal. He will play this season for $15.967MM.
While no agreement was expected, Clowney is now in a strange spot. The former No. 1 overall pick has been extension-eligible since January 2017 yet will play a sixth season without a long-term extension in place. As a result, the Texans should not expect to see him for a while.
Clowney is unlikely to show for “a good portion” of training camp, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweeting the Pro Bowl edge defender may not resurface in Texans gear until September. But he is expected to report before the Texans’ Sept. 9 opener against the Saints, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.
As was the case with Le’Veon Bell last year, Clowney is going into his sixth season and has already accrued enough service time to be an unrestricted free agent. So, the August 6 reporting date will not affect the 26-year-old’s potential UFA path.
A reported disagreement between Bill O’Brien and since-fired GM Brian Gaine on Clowney’s value existed, with O’Brien being against a long-term deal for the former South Carolina prodigy. The Texans are going without a GM this season, but their reshuffled front office will have to deal with a disgruntled standout — one the team shopped in trades this offseason.