Could the Jets be getting closer to landing an edge rusher who could solve their long-standing pass rush woes?
According to the News Tribune, the Jets are believed to be among three teams that have made offers that free agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is currently weighing. The other two teams are believed to be the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks, who have been vying to sign Clowney to a contract extension.
Like Jets free agent wide receiver Robby Anderson, Clowney’s market has been stagnant since the opening days of free agency. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft is likely waiting for a top of the market offer to come rolling in, but it has become clear that is not going to happen. At this point, he’ll be lucky if he comes remotely close to the $21 million the Colts gave pass rusher Deforest Buckner after acquiring him in a trade with the 49ers earlier this week.
Clowney’s injury history and lack of production have caused teams to steer clear of him so far. He has only appeared in all 16 games once in his six NFL seasons and has never had a double-digit sack season. Clowney also missed the Seahawks’ final five regular season games due to a sports hernia injury that required surgery in January.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, teams cannot fly Clowney out to their facilities in order to get a good idea of where he is at physically. Without a definitive clean bill of health, no team is going to give the South Carolina product a top-dollar contract.
This could be good news for the Jets, as it helps their chances of landing a relatively young pass rusher who still has loads of untapped potential on a cheaper deal. On the other hand, New York could also be bringing in a player whose health will prevent him from tapping into his aforementioned potential.
With all of the younger and more prolific edge rushers off the board, all eyes are now on Clowney. Will he return to Seattle, a place where he is comfortable playing and familiar with the locker room? Or, will he venture out into the unknown with the hope of taking his game to the next level in a new setting?
What Clowney will decide to do remains to be seen. Regardless, it looks like the Jets will be one of the teams in it with him until the end.