Why Jadeveon Clowney is the perfect training camp signing, and five contenders that should target him

Fans of a certain age best know Jadeveon Clowney for the hit heard 'round the world: Outback Bowl, New Year's Day 2013, and Michigan, after being given a first down in controversial fashion late in the game, runs the ball.

Or, rather, it tries to.

Jadeveon Clowney knifes through the offensive line and demolishes Vincent Smith, whose helmet, legend has it, is still rolling back to Ann Arbor. Clowney not only forces the fumble but also recovers it. It was the crowning moment on a tremendous All-America season.

More than 13 years later, Clowney is still going strong. Though one could argue he never quite lived up to the billing of a No. 1 overall pick and became a franchise cornerstone pass rusher, he's made three Pro Bowls and a second-team All-Pro. He has 66.5 career sacks across a career spent with seven different teams. He's had at least eight sacks in a season for four of them. He's long been one of the league's better run-defending EDGEs, an under-appreciated but crucial aspect for a position too often synonymous with sacks and pressures.

Yet, with teams under two weeks away from opening training camp, Clowney is without a team. And that's OK. It will almost certainly change before the season begins. And whichever team does indeed change that will be getting much better.

Jadeveon Clowney is still really good

Last year, Clowney didn't even sign with the Cowboys until Sept. 14. In 13 games, he finished with 8.5 sacks, 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and four passes batted -- all despite playing under 44% of Dallas' defensive snaps.

Pro Football Focus rated him as a top-20 EDGE with the 16th-best pass rush grade. Among nearly 200 players with at least 200 snaps as a pass rusher, Clowney ranked fourth(!) in pressure rate at 19.1%.

The film shows a player who still wins with quickness and can play on both sides, in a two- or three-point stance. These came on back-to-back plays.

But Clowney also brings it against the run. In fact, last year, he made the tackle on 21.9% of his snaps against the run, tops in the league among non-off-ball linebackers. He plays with strong hands (watch him blow up Brian O'Neill in the first clip), speed (watch him blow by Jaylon Moore in the second clip) and real tenacity (watch him eat up Trey McBride in the third clip).

He's just a really good player: tireless, talented, versatile, smart. He recognizes plays early. When teams run to the opposite side, he stays engaged. When he gets chipped or double-teamed -- and sometimes even knocked down -- he keeps his motor running. What more could you ask for from a rotational rusher?

Why it's OK no one has signed Jadeveon Clowney ... yet

Clowney knows who he is at this point in his career, and teams know it, too. He's going to produce, and he has the skill to play all three downs, but he's most effective as part of a rotation -- someone who has his snap count managed, whether it's down-to-down or possession-to-possession.

He also knows that teams will come calling. Recently, there's been a trend of "mercenary" pass rushers -- veterans who wait out teams to make the first move once they decide they need a boost at the position. These players can control their market and landing spot (to some extent) on an eventual one-year deal.

Look at the free-agency market right now. Joey Bosa is unsigned. Von Miller is unsigned. Leonard Floyd is unsigned. The list goes on. These are all players who can play the waiting game. They know how to keep themselves in shape. They don't need (or necessarily want) a full training camp to be ready for the right role.

In 2023, Clowney didn't sign with the Ravens until Aug. 18. He tied his career high with 9.5 sacks. As mentioned before, he didn't sign with the Cowboys until mid-September last year. This is nothing new.

Here's who should sign Jadeveon Clowney

Clowney will want to play for a contender. There are plenty who could prove pass-rush-needy. Here are five:

Texans: A reunion with the team that drafted him? Yes, Houston has Anderson and Danielle Hunter, but it hasn't re-signed either Derek Barnett or Denico Autry, who provided crucial depth to the stars. Clowney would have a smaller role here than elsewhere, but maybe he's OK with that. He has expressed interest in returning to Houston before. This is a sleeper; Houston could still opt to bring Barnett and/or Autry back.

Lions: Detroit drafted Derrick Moore in the second round and signed D.J. Wonnum, but the quest to pair Aidan Hutchinson with another standout pass rusher continues. Clowney could step in and start immediately on a team looking to rebound from a tough 2025.

Packers: With Parsons expected to miss the start of the season, Green Bay is pretty bare at EDGE. Lukas Van Ness hasn't lived up to his first-round billing, and the other top options are 2025 fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell and 2026 fourth-round pick Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Seahawks: Clowney spent 2019 in the Emerald City, but this would be more about reuniting with Mike Macdonald, who was Baltimore's defensive coordinator when Clowney had 9.5 sacks for the Ravens in 2023. Seattle just won a Super Bowl, leaning heavily on a ton of EDGE depth.

Bears: The Bears had one of the NFL's worst pass rushes last year, and while Ben Johnson has pledged internal improvements, Montez Sweat has disappointed in Chicago, Austin Booker is unproven, and Dayo Odeyingbo is coming off a torn Achilles. Clowney would play a big role for this up-and-coming team.