LA Rams FA profile: Edge Jadeveon Clowney...

Los Angeles Rams Free Agent Profile: Edge Jadeveon Clowney

By Blaine Grisak of DowntownRams

The Los Angeles Rams could be looking to replace edge rusher Leonard Floyd. Could they have interest in a big name like Jadeveon Clowney?

Jadeveon Clowney
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The Los Angeles Rams will be looking to bring in affordable free agents this season that they can fit in under their limited cap. They’ll be looking anywhere that they can to find good, low-value free agents. If that is indeed the case, one player that they could look at his edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.

One player that the Rams have hitting the market is edge rusher Leonard Floyd. While the team could look to bring him back, he could also reunite with Brandon Staley with the Chargers. If that does happen, the Rams will need to replace an edge rusher for the second straight season.

Career-to-date

Jadeveon Clowney was drafted with the first overall pick in 2014 by the Houston Texans. Clowney spent the first five years of his career in Houston where he accumulated 29 sacks. The former number one overall pick has jumped around the league since then, playing for a season in Seattle before playing eight games in Tennessee last season.

Clowney is a three-time pro bowler and was named an all-pro after his 2016 season in which he had six sacks. He ranked 49th and 32nd in the NFL’s top-100 in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

After being traded from the Texans to the Seahawks, Clowney has struggled to find a team. Despite being one of the best free agents last season, he didn’t sign with the Tennessee Titans until September 8. He didn’t record a sack with the Titans and was placed in injured reserve. The stats don’t show it, but Clowney was very disruptive in the games that he did play.

How would Jadeveon Clowney fit with the Rams?

Clowney hasn’t been seen as an elite pass rusher throughout his career. He’s never put up elite pass-rushing numbers. However, Clowney has consistently made his presence felt against the run. According to Pro Football Focus, Clowney has consistently had run defense grades above 75.

In fact, in 2018, Clowney was the second-best edge defender against the run according to Pro Football Focus. This is an area in which Floyd had his biggest impact with the Rams. While he had production as a pass-rusher, Floyd was much better against the run than Dante Fowler Jr. had been the year before.

Clowney could come to the Rams on another short-term deal and play alongside Aaron Donald. Some of Clowney’s best years came when he played with JJ Watt in Houston. The former number one overall pick would be the leader among the Rams edge rushers as they look to develop players like Terrell Lewis, Justin Hollins, and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo on the opposite side.

Jadeveon Clowney Free Agency Outlook

After a down season and coming off of an injury, Clowney could be a lot cheaper than he was last season. In fact, it would be a little surprising to see him sign a deal worth more that $10M and a one-year contract.

This bodes well for the Rams as that’s exactly the type of deal that they’d be looking to make. At just 28-years old, Clowney could still have a long career ahead of him. One year with the Rams and playing next to Donald could help get his career back on track and set himself up for a bigger contract next offseason.

This is the same route that Dante Fowler and Leonard Floyd took. While Fowler was traded to the Rams, he increased his value after 2019. Floyd was seen as a bust in Chicago and has increased his value this offseason.

Clowney could have a lot of potential suitors. He’s still a big name and after a down season could come at a bargain price. Given what Fowler and Floyd have done with the Rams, however, Los Angeles could be a viable suitor.