Jadeveon Clowney is still without an NFL team. Could the Green Bay Packers be a good landing spot for him?
It’s been a strange NFL offseason (mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and one of the weirdest aspects has been watching former No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney still left unsigned.
Clowney spent the first five years of his career with the Houston Texans (the team who took him No. 1 overall in 2014), but he was traded to the Seahawks in 2019 and spent just one season there.
Now he’s looking for a new team, which will be his third team in three years, and the Green Bay Packers look like they could be a good match for Clowney. They have $13 million in cap space, which is less than what Clowney is seeking, but he’d have a chance to play for a Super Bowl contender in Green Bay.
At this point, Clowney getting a mega deal doesn’t seem likely for a few reasons. The main one is that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for teams to meet with free agents and conduct physicals. Clowney has been banged up over the years, so a proper physical is necessary in order for him to land somewhere.
Another reason is that Clowney hasn’t shown he’s worthy of what he’s asking for, which appears to be somewhere in the $20 million per year range. Cleveland offered him $18 million, which Clowney shut down. That was surprising to many.
Clowney’s injuries, mixed with inconsistencies, have made teams skeptical of giving him $20 million a year. The Packers might be low-balling him in this scenario, but Clowney would have a chance to go up against good competition and try to better himself for the 2021 offseason where he could potentially earn more money.
This offseason has been weird for NFL teams and players, but Clowney not being signed yet is strange. If he went to Green Bay, he’d have a chance to bring down some of the toughest quarterbacks in the league in Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford, and Mitchell Trubisky. Green Bay’s defense is solid too, with Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith leading the way on that side of the ball.
The Packers are also a playoff contender and were one game away from the Super Bowl last season, which could make a lower offer appealing to Clowney if he’s serious about getting a ring. If it’s all about money, then this scenario isn’t happening, but if Clowney is willing to take less money, he can play for a good organization, have a shot at winning a title and also get to go up against some really good teams.
It makes a lot of sense, but will Jadeveon Clowney budge from his $20 million a year goal?