The New England Patriots have some cap room and many have speculated on a number of signings and/or trades the team could pull off with this new financial freedom. Free-agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney has been one of the names mentioned frequently.
Well, according to one prominent NFL insider, the fantasy union between Bill Belichick and Clowney isn’t going to happen–at least not right now.
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Ian Rapoport the Patriots Are Out of Contention for Jadeveon Clowney
According to Josina Anderson who spoke to Clowney recently, the 28-year-old who played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 isn’t willing to budge on his original salary requirements, which is something the Patriots would have needed him to do if they were going to be able to sign him.
It’s my opinion from my phone conversation with Clowney just now that he remains confident about his value and worth and that interested teams have the ability to still pay, regardless of the upcoming pandemic-impacted season. I sensed zero shift in that belief.
During a recent interview, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport plainly stated, the Patriots are out of consideration because of the financials.
I think Clowney wants to get paid. Clowney is basically thinking, ‘Where can I get paid as much as possible, and if I don’t have to go to training camp for a lot of it, ah, that will probably be okay. Remember, he did that last year and made $15 million in late-August, early-September, I forgot when it was and that worked out fine. I mean, I think for him, it’s like, ‘Why would I not do the same?’ Also, do you think he missed anything in the spring? He missed some Zoom meetings. … I think Clowney would just like to make a lot of money. I know he wants a one-year deal. I don’t think he would take just a little tiny deal from the Patriots.
A Clowney-Patriots deal was always about the player accepting less money guaranteed, but perhaps taking a contract hefty in very attainable bonuses that wouldn’t have counted against the team’s cap in 2020.
If the first qualifier is a no-go, then it would kill the entire concept.
Is There a Chance Things Could Change?
There’s always a chance. There could be unknown factors. However, there is more reason why this probably won’t be a fit.
If ever there was a season for a player to feel comfortable sitting out it’s the 2020 campaign. There remains a ton of uncertainty around the financial issues and the safety concerns related to COVID-19.
Clowney might not be too keen on hopping into this uncertainty as it is, and having to play for less than he believes he’s worth makes it all the more unattractive.
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Patriots Out of the Running For Top Free-Agent Prize: Report