Jadeveon Clowney‘s bid at a long-term free agency deal did not go as expected this offseason, and his latest contract year has not unfolded especially well.
The Titans placed their big-ticket free agent pass rusher on IR Saturday. They had ruled Clowney out of Sunday’s game against the Ravens because of a knee injury, but he will now be out until at least Week 14.
Clowney missed Tennessee’s Week 8 tilt but returned to play in the team’s past two games. The former No. 1 overall pick, who signed a one-year deal worth $13MM in August, remains without a sack. He has not recorded a sack since November 2019, illustrating a Titans pass-rushing plan gone awry. The team cut free agency addition Vic Beasley earlier this month. Beasley joined Clowney in failing to register a sack as a Titan.
Although Clowney dealt with extensive knee trouble with the Texans — highlighted by microfracture surgery — he rebounded to make three Pro Bowls. But over the past two seasons, the well-rounded pass rusher’s stock has dropped thanks in large part to multiple injuries. Clowney considered meniscus surgery earlier this month but opted to return to Tennessee’s lineup. In light of Saturday’s news, it seems that operation has not been fully ruled out.
Clowney underwent surgery ahead of his 2018 season with Houston and missed time because of a core muscle injury with Seattle last year. However, this IR stay will result in Clowney entering Week 14 having missed at least five games. The 27-year-old defender has not been sidelined for that many contests since his 2014 rookie season. This will make Clowney’s pursuit of an elusive long-term deal more difficult.
The Titans promoted linebackers William Compton and Tuzar Skipper, along with cornerback Greg Mabin, and placed corner Kareem Orr on IR.
Good luck getting another huge payday next season….dude can’t stay healthy
Glad Seattle didn’t re-up him, despite no pash rush this season
Clowney has zero sacks and has generated very little pass rush, so even if they had signed him, they would not have improved.
He’s battled knee issues since his junior year at South Carolina. Problem is he’s to heavy for his frame.
As stated before, good luck on getting a ‘big’ payday now. Loss of production, getting older and injury history (especially on mostly the same body part) all add up to another ‘prove it’ deal next year. That is if he can pass anyone’s physical.
Bull He’s not too heavy for his frame!
Clowney has natural talent and has never had to work at his craft. Now at the young age of 27 his body is starting the injury pattern. If he had been working hard his body would be in better shape.
I honestly didn’t believe that he would last this long in the league. When he took off his final year with the Gamecock’s, I gave him 3 years at most.
BUST
Wouldn’t go that far at all. 3 Pro Bowls and high performance for most of his career is hardly bust material. Sacks would have been ideal, but they’re not the end-all, be-all of defensive production. Busts don’t get double teamed.
I’d say that this is mostly Clowney’s own fault for waiting so long to sign with a team. He lost out on early free agency’s long term or lucrative deals by overestimating his market and underestimating the effects of COVID concerns on team spending.
The injury is something that probably was out of his control, but he joined Tennessee so late that he missed the opportunity to practice at all with his new teammates or do OTAs of any kind. Coupled with the lack of a preseason, Clowney was at a major self-inflicted disadvantage from the start. If he really wanted to maximize his production this year (and maximize his shot at a long term deal, either this year or the next), he should have made it a priority to sign earlier. The offers were below market value, yes, but the time lost is more valuable to his production than a few million on a single year contract.
Totally agree with you. He should have realized if he sacrificed a few million to fully prepare for the upcoming season with an established team, he could have broken out and used his production as a platform for a more lucrative future contract. He just played his cards poorly and ended up holding out far too long without real leverage
I’m glad the Eagles did not pick him up. we have our own overpaid injured guy in Javon Hargreaves.