Getty The Seahawks remained in discussions with Jadeveon Clowney until he signed with the Titans.
With weeks to go before the NFL season starts, Seattle Seahawks free-agent Jadeveon Clowney remains on the market. Clowney rarely makes comments on social media but a recent Instagram post has some wondering if the pass rusher is open to a return to the Seahawks.
“Sometimes your failures teach you many things in your life,” Clowney noted on his Instagram Story. “Try to face your failures in order to achieve your following success.”
Clowney could be talking about any number of things, but it rings true to the pass rusher potentially overestimating his market in free agency. It is hard to imagine Clowney landing the lucrative deal he had been searching for this late in the process. Clowney has turned down deals from the Seahawks and other teams that are likely larger than what he will end up signing.
The Seahawks May Not Have Moved on From Clowney
NFL Network’s Mike Silver previously reported the Seahawks had moved on from Clowney, but Everson Griffen signing with the Cowboys has some wondering if it could re-open talks between the two parties. The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell believes the Seahawks are still in the race for Clowney.
“I’ll say, yet again: Don’t rule out Jadeveon Clowney returning to the Seahawks,” Bell tweeted.
Seattle Is Running Out of Options to Improve Their Defensive Line
The Seahawks losing out on Everson Griffen is just the latest blow in an offseason where Seattle has been unable to add more help to their pass rush aside from Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that Griffen chose to sign with the Cowboys over the Seahawks.
“The Seahawks and Vikings went back and forth for pass-rusher Everson Griffen, while the Cowboys quietly went to work,” Rapoport explained on Twitter. “Out of nowhere, they add a key cog in their defense. Griffen to Dallas.”
Rapoport added that Griffen’s decision could re-open the door for Clowney to return to the Seahawks.
“For the Seahawks, they have had interest in Clay Matthews, but worth noting that Jadeveon Clowney doesn’t have a yet team either. If the door is slightly ajar…,” Rapoport tweeted.
Mike Daniels and Timmy Jernigan are two additional defensive linemen who have signed elsewhere as the free-agent market continues to shrink for the Seahawks. Earlier this offseason, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll sounded optimistic about the team’s chances with their current defensive line.
“You can see we certainly went after the issues. It didn’t work out right and (defensive end) Ziggy (Ansah) wasn’t able to get to his true form at any time last year because of his shoulder and all that,” Carroll said, per USA Today. “We did not get the production on the edge that we wanted, so we went and addressed it. Getting Bruce Irvin in the program was really important for us because Bruce can play the SAM (linebacker) spot and be the Leo (edge rusher) – he’s done both – so that gave us a sense of security that we had some flexibility from the start, but then to get Benson Mayowa to come in, who had a very solid year with, he’s played the position, the Leo spot, and then in the draft, we get two guys who we really liked and are really pass rush-oriented guys that can help us speed-wise and in the rotations.”
Clowney’s latest post indicates the pass rusher could be open to a compromise, and it will be interesting to see if the Seahawks can finally get a deal done. Bringing back Clowney, even for one more season, would make the Seahawks’ offseason one of the best in the NFL.
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