There is still gas in the tank for NFL free agent Jadeveon Clowney and, while his gauge no longer hits high octane, the veteran defensive end remains productive in the twilight of his career. The next team which signs the former No. 1 overall pick gets a situational pass rusher coming off 46 tackles and a team-best 5.5 sacks last season with the Carolina Panthers, who released him to clear cap space.
The New England Patriots and Washington Commanders are two teams which stick out as potential landing spots, one strengthened by prior relationships with Clowney. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was Clowney’s position coach with the Houston Texans as a rookie in 2014, and later signed him in Tennessee after he took the Titans job.
New England has six edge guys on its roster — Harold Landry, K’Lavon Chaisson, Truman Jones, Eljiah Ponder, Anfernee Jennings and new draft pick Bradyn Swinson.
Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams coached Clowney as Tennessee’s defensive line assistant in 2020 before his season was cut short after eight games due to a meniscus injury.
“I think I played well for Carolina [last] year, considering the circumstances that … unfolded for me,” Clowney said after his release from the Panthers. “I played with a bunch of guys that was hurt this past year. And I ended up playing extremely well for them. So it is what it is. I can play the game. I can play football. There are 31 other teams. I just hope another team gives me that opportunity so I can prove myself again. I feel like I can do that.”
The Commanders are one of several teams in need of edge rush help, and surprisingly, failed to pick up one in the NFL Draft. After losing Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency after his 10.5-sack season in 2024, that’s a major hole to fill for Washington in its quest to return to the NFC Championship — and beyond.
High-ceiling veteran
Clowney, a three-time Pro Bowler, should come at a bargain price in free agency for a player with 15 combined sacks the last two years. He’s still owed $2 million in guaranteed money from the Panthers, who reportedly tried to trade Clowney during draft week before selecting three pass rushers in the later rounds. He signed a two-year, $20 million deal with Carolina last year, but getting to the $10 million average in 2025 could prove difficult, which would be a net positive for the team providing Clowney with an opportunity.
While it’s no guarantee the former South Carolina standout can stay injury-free in 2025 given his career medical report, he did play in 14 games last season for the Panthers — all starts — and appeared in 17 games during the 2023 campaign for the Baltimore Ravens when he tied a career-high with 9.5 sacks as a 31-year-old veteran.
There’s risk involved with signing an aging defender, but recent numbers suggest Clowney can still produce.
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