Getty Jadeveon Clowney continues to play the waiting game in free agency.
As the waiting continues, the Seahawks could be forced to make a decision with Jadeveon Clowney. The pass-rusher seems content to wait and see if another team can top the Seahawks’ offer. The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta provided an update on Clowney noting that the pass-rusher appears content to wait out the Seahawks’ offer.
…Mike Garafolo reported he has an offer on the table from the Seahawks (no surprise there), but it’s one that’s not what he had been hoping to get.
What’s Clowney hoping to get? Likely something in the five-year range, at least meeting, if not topping, $20 million a year…
Garafolo said Clowney is hoping other teams will “engage’’ with him about a new deal, “and see if the Seahawks will raise their price a little bit.’’ But NFL Network reported that while Clowney has continued to speak to teams other than the Seahawks “he has not gotten close’’ to the number he had been seeking.
The Seahawks and Clowney are engaging in a staring contest with Seattle likely wondering why they would up their offer if they are only competing with themselves. Clowney also knows that there is no one remaining on the free-agent market of his caliber and could be hoping the Seahawks are willing to give in as their plan B would be a big step back.
The Jets & Titans Are Also Competing for Clowney
The Seahawks are competing with at least the Titans and Jets for Clowney’s services, per The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell. Based on Mike Garafolo’s report, it appears the other offers are not comparable with the Seahawks, but Seattle’s proposal is still not to Clowney’s liking. The question is if there is a point where the Seahawks will move on if Clowney opts to continue waiting for a better offer.
The challenge is that Clowney was clearly the Seahawks plan A and the majority of pass rushers are already off the market. The Seahawks have also been linked to Vikings’ defensive end Everson Griffen, a player who excels at getting to the quarterback but not the same kind of disruptor.
The Seahawks Brought Back Pass Rusher Bruce Irvin
Seattle has not been totally quiet while waiting on Clowney. The Seahawks brought back Bruce Irvin who is coming off 8.5 sacks with the Panthers. Seattle also re-signed Jarran Reed, but there is still more work to be done for the Seahawks to improve the defensive line. What direction they go depends on what happens with Clowney.
Seahawks GM John Schneider has been adamant that the Seahawks want to bring back Clowney. Schneider also admitted that the team would have to see what Clowney’s price tag would be for the team to retain the pass rusher.
“It’s a landscape thing,” Schneider said, per Seahawks.com. “Trying to figure out—at this point last year, I thought Frank was going to be on our team. It’s really a daily or weekly process of figuring out how you’re going to put this thing together. We have some cap flexibility this year, which is great, but it’s not just about this year. It’s planning for next year and the following year as well. We have to be cognizant of where we’re going.”
