Getty Jadeveon Clowney could sit out the 2020 season.
The Eagles didn’t think Jadeveon Clowney was worth the asking price. But the final cost turned out to be a Black Friday deal.
Houston sent their fierce pass-rusher to Seattle for two young linebackers and a third-round draft pick in 2020. It was definitely a bargain rate for a Clowney, a guy that many experts feel could be the difference-maker in getting a contender over the Super Bowl hump. The Eagles were one of those teams at the time Clowney was dealt, but GM Howie Roseman ultimately thought his roster was stout enough.
Has it worked out? Well, not exactly.
Brandon Graham has been a breakout star, on pace to set a career-high in sacks, after collecting six sacks in 10 games. His best mark for a single season is 9.5 set back in 2017. Graham will shatter that number.
However, the rest of the Eagles’ defensive line has struggled to rush the quarterback. The Eagles have 25 combined sacks as a unit, good enough for 16th in the league.
Clowney got off to a slow start in Seattle, but he’s finally coming around. He has two sacks in his last three games. He could be the difference between the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl or making an early first-round exit in the playoffs.
UPDATE: Clowney is questionable for the Eagles-Seahawks game with a sore hip. He missed Friday’s practice to receive treatment.
Jadeveon Clowney had one of the most dominant one sack games you’ll ever see. Finished with 5 tackles, 5 QB hits, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown #Seahawks
Former Eagles President Offers Opinion on Clowney
Former Eagles president Joe Banner does a weekly question-and-answer session with the Philadelphia Inquirer where he tackles topics like salary-cap issues and potential trades. Banner was one of the best in the business during his tenure in Philadelphia.
On Friday, The Inquirer’s Paul Domowitch shared some of Banner’s thoughts on the Clowney deal and how the Eagles could have negotiated better. He backed GM Howie Roseman for not overpaying for Clowney, but he did admit that the lethal pass-rusher would have been a worthwhile piece to add.
“Clowney is a guy who could determine who wins the Super Bowl at a position that they were a little bit thin at,” Banner told Domowitch. “And considering that Houston actually paid half of his salary, it’s even easier to say they should’ve tried to acquire him.”
When the topic turned to the asking price, Banner offered a more forward-thinking (read: diplomatic) answer.
“It’s easy to say when a top-tier player is out there and you have a chance to win a Super Bowl, that you should do everything possible to get him,” Banner told The Inquirer. “But the Eagles are at a point where they have an exceptionally strong team, and the next challenge for them is can they sustain this team at this level over a long period of time.”
Did Howie Roseman make a mistake in passing on Jadeveon Clowney and Josh Gordon? t.co/LmNQpbKMrV via @phillyinquirer
What About Missing Out on Josh Gordon?
Former Eagles president Joe Banner wasn’t so fond of taking a flier on oft-troubled receiver Josh Gordon. In fact, he was pretty adamant about being happy the franchise stayed away from him.
“Josh was just too big a risk. His ability had nothing to do with it. He’s a very talented player,” Banner told The Inquirer.
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