Status quo for Seahawks, free agent pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who hasn't gotten the $20M average per year he's seeking, per league sources. Weighing one-year deals after injuries last season, then re-entering market next year when salary cap is expected to rise significantly
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 20, 2020
The first week of free agency has not gone according to plan for free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
The market for a defensive end with three sacks last year, and some concerning injury issues, has not reached the $20 million per year threshold he was hoping for.
Now, a report from Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle indicates Clowney may be willing to take a one-year deal to reestablish his value, and his health, in order to reenter the market in 2021 when the salary cap is expected to increase by a hefty margin.
This could be bad news for the Seahawks. Although the team currently has roughly $18 million in cap space, they have a handful of players they could cut or restructure contracts for in order to clear space.
However, signing Clowney to a long-term deal would allow the team to spread some of his money out over a handful of seasons, which could afford them more flexibility in the short term.
Clowney may still ultimately land a lucrative multi-year deal, and it could still come from the Seahawks, but the slow to develop market makes it more likely he’ll take a one-year deal.
Seattle could have an advantage in that Clowney may want to return somewhere he is familiar if it is just for one season, but it will create a tricky salary cap situation – but one that could be worked around if it nets them a bigtime player like Clowney.
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