The Cleveland Browns could be sellers at the trade deadline and a player teams around the league will be interested in is Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney has been able to turn his career around in Cleveland after some injury riddled seasons. He’s notched 10.5 sacks in 18 games with the Browns, also playing an important role as a run defender. He’s a reliable piece that a contender, like the Kansas City Chiefs, would love to have as a presence on the edge.
The Chiefs were mentioned as a suitor for Clowney by Bleacher Report and here’s what they said about the possible fit.
Interestingly, standout pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney could be a realistic target for the Chiefs, if the Browns are willing to deal him. While Clowney is on a one-year, $10 million deal, it is structured to pay out over the next five seasons. Clowney’s cap hit in 2022 is just $1.25 million.
Now, the Browns aren’t likely to deal Clowney if they feel that have any shot at all of getting back into the playoff conversation. However, it would behove the Chiefs to at least inquire about the three-time Pro Bowler’s availability.
Clowney Comes With Injury History
The Chiefs have 19 sacks this season and are getting solid production from their pass-rushers. However, they will be without Frank Clark — who has three sacks — for the next two games due to suspension.
As mentioned, Clowney is on just a one-year deal and might function playing well as part of a pass-rush rotation with Clark and rookie George Karlaftis III. It could potentially lighten the load on his body, which has caused some injury issues to spring up this season.
Clowney has primarily been dealing with an ankle injury he suffered early in the season but has also been slowed by other ailmets as well. He made it clear after initially signing with the Browns that he felt he had a lot left in his tank.
“The funny part, I tell people my career started off slow because I got hurt the first game of my career with a microfracture, probably the worst thing you could have in this game,” Clowney told reporters in his introductory press conference. “I still can dominate this league, I know that. But if I ever reach my max potential or get back there like I feel now, they say the sky is the limit, but it is probably higher than that. They have footprints on the moon, though. That is where we are trying to reach.”
Browns Taking Calls on Other Players
The Browns are not quite in ready to call it quits on this season at 2-5, although Cleveland is dangerously close to packing it in as the losses continue to pile up. The Browns face the Bengals this week in a game that will be crucial to determine the direction of the rest of their year.
A 2-6 hole will be hard to climb out of and the Browns could be willing to jettison shorter term pieces to stockpile picks for the future.
Two players that the Browns have been listening to offers for are cornerback Greedy Williams and running back Kareem Hunt, who are both in the final year of their contracts.
Hunt is likely to fetch a more significant return from a running back needy team. His role has diminished with the Browns in recent weeks behind NFL rushing leader Nick Chubb and his resume indicates he could handle being a lead back.
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Browns Proposed Trade Sends Pass-Rusher to AFC Powerhouse