Jadeveon Clowney odds update: Lions could be sleeper suitor, but Titans remain favorites
The Detroit Lions have the money and the pass-rush need to sign Jadeveon Clowney.
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Does 27-year-old former three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney even want to play in the NFL this season? That's a question some teams surely have to be asking themselves with Clowney continually turning down more than fair-market offers. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Clowney a few weeks ago turned down a one-year, $18 million deal from the Cleveland Browns and recently said no to a one-year, $15 million offer to return to the Seattle Seahawks.
"I don't know what he wants. With him, it comes down to getting a number that he's happy with," Florio said this week on a radio show.
Clowney originally was hoping for a multi-year deal worth $20 million, but no team came close to that – the former No. 1 overall pick has had trouble staying healthy and had just three sacks in 2019. He's simply not worth $20 million per, especially with all NFL teams looking at a coronavirus-related financial crunch coming.
By comparison, Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is the highest-paid end in the NFL at $21 million per. He has had two seasons of double-digit sacks. Clowney has zero. Kansas City's Frank Clark is the only other end averaging $20 million per season ($20.8M), and he also has had two double-digit sack seasons.
Per overthecap.com, the Browns continue to have the most salary-cap space in the league at just over $37 million. Yet, Clowney for whatever reason seems to not want to play there.
He did feel comfortable in Seattle, and if the Seahawks matched Cleveland's offer Clowney probably would take it. The Tennessee Titans have always been in the mix. Clowney had his highest sack total of 9.5 under Titans coach Mike Vrabel when he was the Texans' defensive coordinator in 2017. The Jets and Eagles reportedly are losing interest.
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There could be one sleeper team: The Detroit Lions, who have nearly $30 million in cap space. This is a make-or-break season for defensive-minded head coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn. If Detroit finishes below .500 again, they are both gone. The Lions badly need pass-rush help as they were 29th in the NFL last year with 28 sacks. Their edge rushers currently are Trey Flowers, Romeo Okwara, Julian Okwara, Austin Bryant and Jashon Cornell.
Flowers is a terrific player and makes nearly $20 million per season. The others? Not great. Julian Okwara (third round) and Cornell (seventh round) are both rookies. Media reports out of Motown have speculated the Lions' increased interest in Clowney after missing out on pass-rushing demon Chase Young in the 2020 Draft.
Detroit ranked second-to-last in yards allowed in 2019 and last against the pass, but signing Clowney to play opposite Flowers and the selection of Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 3 overall in this year's draft – he is +2000 on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year -- could truly transform that unit. The Lions have an Over-Under win total of 6.5.
Via SportsLine NFL oddsmakers: Which team will sign free-agent Jadeveon Clowney?
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