Why everyone involved needs to make this a quick free agency for Jadeveon Clowney.
It is almost too perfect for it to happen, but there really aren’t many free agent fits that are better than the Tennessee Titans signing Jadeveon Clowney.
Before I get into specifics on why they should both push for it to happen, I want talk about why this signing would be so important for the Titans.
While Clowney isn’t a DPOY candidate or anything like that, he has one trait that can’t be quantified and that is his national presence. What I mean by that is, for better or worse he instantly becomes the guy on defense that cameras zoom in on before the snap.
The Titans would instantly have a face associated with the defense that national media and undecided fans can latch on to. While that isn’t the reason why a deal like this should get done, it is something important that the Titans need.
While Jurrell Casey is the elder statesman on the Titans defense, he isn’t really someone that a random NFL fan could identify quickly. Clowney on the other hand has that marketability.
It would be the first time in Clowney’s career that he has been able to be the guy without there being a case for someone like Bobby Wagner or J.J. Watt as the other big name.
The Titans defense has outstanding pieces in Kevin Byard, Jurrell Casey, Malcolm Butler, Rashaan Evans, Adoree Jackson, Harold Landry, Jeffery Simmons and Jayon Brown, but you really don’t see many of these jerseys in the stand other than the occasional Byard or Casey jersey.
Again, not saying that it is the reason a deal should get done, but it is a factor that would benefit both sides that isn’t being talked about.
Why the Tennessee Titans should do it.
The Tennessee Titans defense is pretty well set up for the future. At nearly every position you have solidified starters and then a young guy or two behind them.
Just think about it, the defensive line has Jeffery Simmons, the linebackers have David Long, the safeties have Amani Hooker, but the only two groups that really lack starters and youth behind it are cornerback and EDGE.
Signing Clowney gives them a great pair of starters with unique skill sets to attack tackles in different ways. Behind Landry and Clowney, you could start looking at names like D’Andre Walker and Derick Roberson as the young depth you want.
Clowney’s unique blend of power and athleticism makes him appealing regardless of what front the new DC decides to run because he could fit into a DE role in a 3-4 just as easily as he could fit into an EDGE role in a 4-3.
While the former first overall pick has never had a true breakout year where he was a star, his best year came with Mike Vrabel was calling plays. We know that the Tennessee Titans LOVE to bring in guys that they have worked with in the past instead of trying to make a connection with someone they have no experience with.
If that trend holds up, then you know Mike Vrabel will be telling GM Jon Robinson that he can get more out of him than anyone else and the he is worth the kind of money he would ask for.
A subtle benefit is that this would allow the Titans to take advantage of the talent in this draft instead of forcing an EDGE in the first or second round.
Why Jadeveon Clowney should do it.
Everyone wants to talk about how hot the market could be for Clowney, but are we really sure? He is coming off of the least productive season of his career and he is about to turn 27 years old.
Not only that, but he is joining a free agent market likely to include:
–Yannick Ngakoue (after he tells the Jaguars he won’t sign a tag)
-Shaq Barrett
–Chris Jones (not an end, but a huge price tag on the DL)
-Matthew Judon
…and plenty of other EDGEs.
This next contract is crucial for Clowney because it likely will be the difference in 10s of million of dollars by the time he is ready to sign his next deal. If he struggles or disappears before hitting the market in his early 30s, there won’t be a huge market for him.
If he really wants to go to a contender like he says, let’s limit the teams he could go to to the 12 teams that made the playoffs. Houston and Seattle are probably both out or else he would have gotten a second deal with one of them by now.
The Eagles, Vikings, Saints, 49ers, and Packers don’t really have a spot for him, while the Chiefs and Ravens don’t have the cap room for him.
That leaves the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans as the teams most likely to fit what he wants. I don’t think Buffalo wants to invest in defense unless they are bringing back their own guys and I would say the same thing about New England.
The only team left that is the Tennessee Titans who should have a good bit of money in free agency after some cuts and restructures as well as the resume, coaching staff and location to tempt Clowney.
Can the two make a contract work?
This is the rub. While it makes sense for both sides, can the Titans and Clowney come away with a deal that makes sense for everyone?
On paper the Titans can give Clowney a deal like Trey Flowers got last offseason which was 5 years, $90 million, but with Jack Conklin and Ryan Tannehill both needing contracts this offseason it is going to get tight unless they can push some of that money towards the back end of the deal.
While that always makes GMs uncomfortable, the fact is that Clowney isn’t a guy whose traits should diminish over time. He wins with power and technique, not with pure speed which tends to fade later in a career.
PFF predicts a 5 year, $105 million deal. If the Titans can find a way to trim that down to closer to the $18 million per year that Flowers got, then with some restructures and cuts they should be fine.
The subtle thing about all this, is getting a deal done with Ryan Tannehill is key so that they can use their tags correctly. If the Titans transition tag Derrick Henry and franchise tag Jack Conklin (or give him something similar per year) they will likely end up with $22 million in cap space for 2020 with close to $10 million worth of restructures on the table.
That gives them just enough wiggle room to make a big deal like this and make sure they have the depth they need. But the more that Clowney helps the Titans out, the better this team will be and the more it would help him achieve his goal of playing for a contender (while also getting paid millions and millions per year).