It was inevitable that Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel would be asked about Jadeveon Clowney after some new buzz surfaced on Thursday night, so he addressed the situation with the media immediately during a pre-practice Zoom call on Friday.
Per Vrabel, the Titans have not only been in contact with Clowney and his agent, but have also made an offer to the free-agent pass-rusher.
Vrabel: We have an offer@our to @clownejd. #Titans. pic.twitter.com/dTZf6uNCrQ
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) September 4, 2020
.@Titans HC Mike Vrabel on Jadeveon Clowney: We have an offer out, and we've been in contact with him and his agent. "That's all I can report"
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 4, 2020
Unfortunately, he didn’t give specifics as far as what that offer entails or how recently the team has been in contact with Clowney, but based on the report that the Titans are one of two teams making a strong push for him, we can assume it has been at least fairly recently.
Of course, the concern with signing Clowney this late in the game is that he may not be ready to contribute in Week 1, but Vrabel says it is still possible that a player who signs now can suit up for the season-opener.
#Titans' Vrabel: Says it's still possible for a player to get signed in time to go through protocol and play in Week 1.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 4, 2020
Clowney’s readiness will depend upon what kind of shape he is in and how quickly he gets acclimated to the Titans’ system.
The good news is that the 27-year-old already has experience playing in Vrabel’s defense after the Titans head coach was his defensive coordinator back in 2017 with the Houston Texans, the same year he totaled a career-high 9.5 sacks.
Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan and linebacker Will Compton both took to Twitter on Thursday night to try and recruit Clowney. Vrabel says he did not put the two players up to it.
Vrabel: Didn't ask @Titans players to make a push for Clowney on social media last night. Said "that's just social media."
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 4, 2020
The other team the Titans are reportedly vying for Clowney against is the New Orleans Saints, a team that is currently strapped for cash but is no doubt a Super Bowl contender.
While the Titans might not offer as good of a chance to win as the Saints, they can offer the former No. 1 overall pick more money. At this point, Tennessee can’t be stingy and must do whatever is necessary to bring Clowney to Nashville.
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