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It’s been months worth of speculation as to which team Jadeveon Clowney will join (if any) by the start of the 2020 NFL regular season. We’ve repeatedly heard about “interest” and “in talks with” and “offer made” and “offer turned down” and “lowered asking price” such that I pretty much put a moratorium on Clowney stories until something meaningful happened.
Here we are, a week away from opening night and ten days from Seahawks’ opening day, and something meaningful might happen.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini says that both the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints are both vying to get Clowney, and the timing is important because the only way he can play Week 1 is if he clears COVID-19 protocols by this weekend.
Jadeveon Clowney could be with a team a very soon. I’m told the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints are both making strong pushes to sign the free agent. Both teams want him on the field by Monday and are making their pitches.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) September 3, 2020
We’ve seen these one-off stories before but when the swarm of respected NFL insiders all start unleashing stories, I think we have to take notice. Here’s Tom Pelissero saying that Clowney and Saints head coach Sean Payton have been in frequent communication.
The #Saints are sending an all-out blitz to try to sign Jadeveon Clowney, who has spoken multiple times to coach Sean Payton, sources tell me and @RapSheet. At least two other teams still involved as Clowney's extended free-agent saga nears a close.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 3, 2020
And what about this from Mike Garafolo? The Saints supposedly only have enough cap space to buy a bottle of soda, so they’re looking to restructure some deals to make room for Clowney.
The #Saints have been talking to agents for players currently on the roster to see if they can restructure some deals in the coming days, sources say. The NFLPA currently has them at under $7m in cap space. So they’re working to create room in case they sign Jadeveon Clowney.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 3, 2020
Where does this leave the Seahawks? Well Pete Carroll only offered up an “always competing” when asked by reporters about Seattle’s pass rushing situation now that Darrell Taylor is likely headed to the NFI list. If the price was right then surely the Seahawks would’ve already re-signed him, but at the moment it’s apparently too high.
While the price for Clowney is still too high for Seattle, I’m told the Jacksonville Jaguars are also monitoring the situation per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) September 3, 2020
Basically I think any feint hope you had of the Seahawks signing Clowney appears to be squashed, and the extent of their pass rush improvements involved bringing back Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, as well as drafting (the injured) Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson.
Here’s to one hell of a year for the likes of Rasheem Green and LJ Collier!
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