Once expected to cash in with a record contract in free agency, Pro Bowl edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney remains without a home with the 2020 NFL Draft in the books. Just when a return seemed impossible, though, there could now still be a chance for Jadeveon Clowney to return to the Seattle Seahawks.
Seahawks head coach Peter Carroll met with reporters after the team wrapped up its draft class. Even after taking edge rusher Darrell Taylor with No. 48 overall pick, Carroll kept the door open to Clowney’s potential return.
“Just staying in touch with him, he’s kind of patient with the time frames that are out there and all that,” Carroll said, via USA Today. “But he knows that the Seahawks are a place that he had some success and that he had a really good time and he contributed to our club and all of that. That’s a pretty good feeling for him being out there still. John will take care of it. If there’s an opportunity that makes sense, we’ll dive back in and pursue it.”
A return to the Seahawks is certainly not what Clowney planned for when the offseason began. The 27-year-old made it clear he wanted a market-setting contract and he also strongly preferred to play for a contender.
Unfortunately for Clowney, an already limited market of suitors dried up quickly. Amid concerns over his work ethic, very few NFL teams seemed willing to invest heavily in a player who often struggles to produce and stay healthy.
He appeared in just 13 games this past season, also playing through a sports hernia injury, finishing the season with only three sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Clowney’s price has since come down and there are a few teams still expressing some interest. The Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns have shown some openness to bringing Clowney in, while the door now seems to be back open for a return to Seattle.
It could still be weeks or even months before Clowney signs with a team. He’ll need to take a physical, which is made more difficult with team facilities shut down and organizations relying on independent doctors.
Given everything that has unfolded, Clowney’s best bet might be to take a short-term deal with the Seahawks in an effort to rebuild his value and cash in next offseason.