Getty The Saints attempted a wild trade for Jadeveon Clowney.
Jadeveon Clowney remains on the free-agent market with just a few weeks to go before the start of the NFL season. According to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, there are three teams that are still in contention to sign Clowney: Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders.
“Add it all up and you basically have a three-team picture between the Seahawks, Titans and Raiders,” Robinson detailed. “And of that trio, the Titans and Seahawks make the most sense in terms of being able to add Clowney late in the preseason, because of his familiarity with the schemes and/or coaching staffs.”
Robinson noted that the recent training camp injuries have surprisingly worked against Clowney’s market. There was some speculation that Clowney’s wait would pay off given the recent injuries to defensive linemen such as Gerald McCoy, but there is also concern about the pass rusher’s own health.
“[Clowney] is a younger player and he’s carrying his weight better, but he also has a history of little nagging things and also some serious things,” one general manager told Yahoo Sports. “It doesn’t have to be a major [injury] like McCoy. If [Clowney] comes in now and then has some kind of soft-tissue thing that drags on, that could be a months-long thing or even a season-long thing. And I know we’re going to see more of the soft tissue stuff as the pads come on. He might think he’s avoiding something by sitting out and taking his time, but it’s not a positive at all in my opinion. Especially with all the other things we’re getting used to.”
Clowney Is Expected to Reach a Decision Soon
The NFL season is less than three weeks away from starting, and many are expecting a decision from Clowney soon. KOA Colorado’s Benjamin Allbright noted on the NFL Draft Insiders podcast that he expects a resolution to the Clowney situation in the next few days.
“Keep an eye on the Clowney and [Yannick] Ngokoue situations, those should be resolved in the next couple days,” Allbright noted. “…Clowney is trying to get something done to where he can get out there and get ready and get going.”
Robinson indicated that the Browns made the highest offer to Clowney but the deal is no longer on the table as the team appears to have bowed out of the race. The Seahawks and Titans are the top two contenders for Clowney as Raiders general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden do not appear to agree on the pass rusher’s price tag.
One NFL GM Identified the Seahawks & Titans as the Finalists for Clowney
Clowney has been consistently connected to the Titans thanks to his ties with head coach Mike Vrabel dating back to their days together with the Texans. Robinson reported that neither the Titans or Seahawks are prepared to meet Clowney’s current asking price. One general manager believes the pass rusher will eventually choose between these two teams but at a much lower price.
“I just don’t see the [$17 million-$18 million] he wants happening,” a general manager explained to Yahoo Sports. “We’re not in on him anywhere near that. I know what his market is. It’s basically two teams [Seattle and Tennessee] and neither of them is coming to his number. [Cleveland] was as good as it was going to get. I don’t think that changes in a week, so he has a decision to make about whether he wants to play.”
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Jadeveon Clowney’s Future Is Down to a 3-Team Race: Report