Getty The Jadeveon Clowney watch continues in Seattle.
Jadeveon Clowney is heading to free agency and the big question remains whether he has played his last game in a Seahawks jersey. The Seahawks were able to acquire Clowney from the Texans for a bargain prior to the season, but Seattle will need to open up their checkbook if they hope to retain Clowney.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll noted the team “would love to have him back” and added that Clowney reached out to GM John Schneider noting he “loves it here and wants to be here.”
“He loves it here and he wants to be here,” Carroll noted during his final press conference, per Seahawks.com. “He dropped up to see (general manager John Schneider) just to let him know how important it was to him. He had a great time. Everybody in here, they had a ball competing together. It’s interesting to see the new guys that come in because they’re more surprised by the environment. They were very upbeat about it and Clowney was as much as anybody.”
Clowney Wants to Play for a Contender
When asked about his future after the Seahawks loss, Clowney emphasized that he wants to play for a contender. The Seahawks will not be able to franchise tag Clowney meaning they will be competing with other teams to retain the pass rusher. Clowney noted that he is “trying to get to the Super Bowl by any means.”
“I just want to win,” Clowney noted, per ESPN. “I’m trying to get to the Super Bowl by any means. That’s what I’m looking for: Who’s going to get me there? I ain’t looking to get on no sorry team for no money. That ain’t going to fly. I ain’t gonna put my body through all of that just to lose no 16 games, go home with my check. I’d hate that, so that ain’t what I’m doing. So if I can’t win no Super Bowl, I ain’t going to no team that can’t win.”
Clowney Played Through a Core Injury & Will Have Surgery During the Offseason
It has been well-documented that Clowney has been playing through a core injury. Carroll noted that Clowney will have to undergo surgery to repair the injury but the recovery time is only expected to be between five to six weeks.
“He has had surgery on the other side, and he said he wishes he had done it on both sides,” Carroll explained, per Seahawks.com. “He’s got to get it done in the next few days or whatever. Next week, or something like that. It’s for a core injury.”
Clowney was, by far, the best pass rusher the Seahawks had this season but overall the defense struggled to get consistent pressure on the quarterback. Carroll emphasized that Clowney is very much in the team’s plans.
“He’s a terrific football player and he had a big impact on us,” Carroll said, per Seahawks.com. “We would love to have him back.”
The Seahawks and other NFL teams are permitted to begin meeting with free agents on March 16. Clowney admitted that his time in Seattle has been enjoyable, and the team was appreciative of him continuing to play through a significant injury.
“It’s been great,” Clowney noted, per ESPN. “It’s been great. Great experience. I met a great group of guys. I just told them, ‘I appreciate everyone in this locker room because I didn’t know how it was going to go when I got to Seattle’ … so I walked in laughing and giggling. They’ve been accepting me ever since. I think it was a good experience.”