Latest news with #Clowney
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What Jadeveon Clowney's release means for the Panthers
On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers parted ways with eight players—most notably outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney. The move shouldn't have come as much of a surprise—because the writing was not only on the wall, it was all over it. Between the noncommittal statement about his future from general manager Dan Morgan and the report that revealed the front office's interest in trading the 32-year-old defender, Clowney clearly wasn't sticking around much longer. Advertisement His release, however, is still a puzzling one for many Panthers fans. He was still a solid player in 2024. His 5.5 sacks were tied for the team lead, and we know that this defense needs as many sacks as they can get. Plus, wouldn't his experience alone be valuable to a growing roster? There must be something a former No. 1 overall pick and a three-time Pro Bowler could teach the youngsters, right? Well, yeah. But the Panthers probably didn't make this decision carelessly. We just have to connect the dots to make sense of it all. Here are the biggest takeaways from Clowney's depature . . . The new starter With Clowney gone, the Panthers are now likely to turn one of their starting outside linebacker jobs to Pat Jones II. Advertisement Jones, one of Carolina's early free-agent additions, was signed to a two-year, $15 million pact in March. He's coming off a career campaign—where he notched bests in combined tackles (39) and sacks (7.0) for the Minnesota Vikings. The 6-foot-5, 264-pounder is actually quite comparable to Clowney in stature and in play style. Along with the pass-rushing ability, Jones is an above-average run defender and has the chops to set the edge. At 26 years old, Jones is viewed by the organization as an ascending talent—hence their investment. He'll be given a chance to establish himself alongside fellow ex-Viking D.J. Wonnum, who was pretty disruptive in his shortened 2024 season. The future The Panthers made a bit of a splash on Day 2 of the 2025 draft, trading up (twice) for a pair of a potent pass rushers. Advertisement First, in the second round, came Texas A&M's Nic Scourton—who posted a Big Ten-leading 10.0 sacks for Purdue in 2023. Then, in the third round, came Mississippi's Princely Umanmielen—who tallied 10.5 sacks in 2024. Both, given their production and their measurables, have high ceilings. In fact, Scourton and Umanmielen were even considered as first-round prospects by some draft experts. Both are also (obviously) young, and they need the room to grow. Taking Clowney out of the equation might've left them without a perfect mentor, but it did free up more on-field opportunities in 2025. Finding Scourton and Umanmielen chances will be up to defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who hasn't been the quickest to turn to his rookie players. Now, he may not have much of a choice as the Panthers continue to embrace their youth movement. The possibilities Along with snaps, the Clowney release also freed up approximately $7.7 million in salary cap space. That amount will be enough to cover the team's 2025 draft class and, potentially, another key free-agent signing. Advertisement So, could the Panthers finally ink that starting free safety fans have been clamoring for? Are the likes of Julian Blackmon, Marcus Williams or, perhaps, Justin Simmons back in play? We'll see . . . Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content. This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers release OLB Jadeveon Clowney: Biggest takeaways from the move
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What's one move the Commanders should make before training camp?
The Washington Commanders are finished with free agency and the 2025 NFL draft. While free agency never ends, the major moves occurred months ago. Fortunately, help can still be found in free agency for teams with specific needs. Everyone on the outside believes the Commanders need an edge rusher. Washington lost Dante Fowler Jr., who led the team with 10.5 sacks. The Commanders allowed Fowler to walk, knowing he has only reached that number of sacks twice in his 10-year NFL career and struggles against the run. Advertisement Most analysts believed Washington would target an edge rusher early in the draft. Not only did the Commanders not target a pass rusher early, but they also didn't choose one with any of their five selections. Could it be that general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn like their current crop of edge rushers more than those on the outside? Or, perhaps, Peters and Quinn want to see the current group throughout OTAs, minicamp, and/or training camp before choosing to sign a veteran. The good news is that there are some options available. Veteran pass rushers Von Miller, Za'Darius Smith and Jadeveon Clowney are the top pass rushers available. Bleacher Report recently named one move every NFL team should make before the end of the offseason. That move for Washington is signing Clowney. Last season, Dante Fowler Jr. led Washington in sacks with 10.5. In free agency, he signed with his former team, the Cowboys. The Commanders have tried to shore up the defensive end position, signing Deatrich Wise and Jacob Martin. They can continue to stockpile veterans to bolster their pass-rushing committee. At 32, Clowney can be productive in a rotational role. Last year, he recorded 46 tackles, nine for loss, 5.5 sacks and 22 pressures while on the field for 64 percent of the defensive snaps. Deatrich Wise was brought in to help solidify the run defense. Jacob Martin is more of a reserve edge rusher. Clowney makes the most sense of the veteran pass rushers that the Commanders could sign. He is solid against the run, still gets to the quarterback and offers the most upside of the available pass rushers. Advertisement Should Washington make this move? Well, that's up to Peters, but Clowney would be a logical fit, and he is comfortable signing one-year deals, which should make the Commanders happy. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Should the Commanders sign veteran edge rusher?
USA Today
17-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Recent Ravens acquisition could indicate that the ship has sailed on a Clowney reunion
Recent Ravens acquisition could indicate that the ship has sailed on a Clowney reunion The Ravens' recent edge rusher addition might end the Jadeveon Clowney reunion theories. And, just like that, rumors and theories about the Baltimore Ravens reacquiring Jadeveon Clowney have suddenly gone silent. It made sense at the time, the Carolina Panthers determined they'd move on after only a single season, and one of the game's top mercenaries was a free agent again. It was hard not to recall his success while on Baltimore's roster. It was the best he had looked since 2017, his fourth season with the Houston Texans. Lo and behold. He even equaled his career high sack total. He was snubbed for a Pro Bowl nomination, but he certainly deserves it. So, naturally, the Flock would think about swooping in again, right? The announcement never came. No one went off the rails. After all, Clowney signings could be announced towards training camp or the preseason. This time, however, the silence seems more telling than usual, and now, following a recent acquisition announcement, it feels like it may be time to retire the theory. The Jadeveon Clowney discussions have all but died after the Ravens announced their recent signing. The Ravens and every other NFL franchise are filling out their 90-man training camp rosters ahead of OTAs. Baltimore announced the signing of another edge rusher, a rookie free agent, Kaimon Rucker. This one didn't get a ton of hype. That's possibly the result of being dwarfed by the news of Derrick Henry's extension and the NFL's official schedule release that came later in the evening. No disrespect is intended, but Rucker, though talented, isn't in Clowney's class yet, so many in the 'bring Jadeveon back' camp continued to wait to hear the news that it had happened. But, again, things have been silent and seemingly stagnant, and it feels like that is how it will stay. You never know. As previously mentioned, he's often offered employment later rather than sooner. The Ravens didn't acquire him until August 18, 2023. So let's make long stories shorter. 'Clowney watch' hasn't officially ended, but those in favor can't rule out the idea that this ship has sailed.
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Epoch Times
Carolina Panthers Cut Former No. 1 Overall Pick, Jadeveon Clowney, After One Season
Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, is in search of a new job after the Carolina Panthers Clowney had signed a two-year deal with Carolina last offseason, bringing him to his hometown team as he was born and raised in South Carolina. The 32-year-old was expected to provide veteran leadership to the young Panthers and be a major contributor to a team that ranked last in the NFL with 27 sacks in the 2023 season. While Clowney's 5.5 sacks tied with A'Shawn Robinson for the most on Carolina, they tied for just 60th in the NFL. He was coming off a career-high-tying 9.5 sacks in the previous season with the Baltimore Ravens, and that's what Carolina thought it was getting. The veteran did up his production late in the season, with 4.5 sacks over his last six games, but that wasn't enough to warrant Carolina bringing him back at a Clowney's time with the Panthers seemed to be coming to an end based on the moves that Carolina made during the draft. The team picked two edge rushers on Day 2—Nic Scourton in the second round and Princely Umanmielen in the third round. Like Clowney, the two rookies were both first-team All-SEC selections in college. Scourton starred at Texas A&M after beginning his career at Purdue, while Umanmielen played last season at Ole Miss after beginning his career with Florida. Additionally, one of the Panthers' most notable free agent additions was also a pass rusher in Patrick Jones II, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings. He recorded 7.0 sacks last year, topping Clowney's total despite playing nearly 200 fewer snaps. With another former Viking, D.J. Wonnum, who had 4.0 sacks in his first year with Carolina in 2024, also on the roster, there simply wasn't room for Clowney at his salary. Clowney has played for six teams during his 11-year NFL career, which began with being the top pick by the Houston Texans in 2014. He was chosen over fellow pass rushers Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack, as well as All-Pro players such as Davante Adams and Mike Evans. He dealt with injuries during the start of his pro career, but managed to make the only three Pro Bowls of his career in Houston from 2016–18. Related Stories 5/8/2025 3/26/2025 He then became a journeyman, playing for five teams over the next six seasons. He spent one year in Seattle, one in Tennessee, two with the Cleveland Browns, then one in Baltimore before coming home to Carolina. One of the most distinguished players in the history of the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clowney was a two-time first-team All-American. In 2012, he was named both the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to college football's top defensive end. He finished the 2024 season with 58 career sacks across 140 games. Clowney also has 15 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, and three fumbles recovered for touchdowns. Those three scores after fumble recoveries are the most among all active players and are tied for the ninth-most in NFL history. The 32-year-old now joins a lengthy list of free-agent pass rushers. This offseason has also seen Von Miller cut by the Buffalo Bills, Matt Judon released by the Atlanta Falcons, and Preston Smith cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers after they acquired him in a November trade. The Panthers are coming off a 5-12 season, their sixth straight with double-digit defeats. They haven't made the playoffs since 2017, and Clowney's release wasn't the only notable transaction the team made on Thursday. It also placed running back Jonathon Brooks, a second-round pick in 2024, on the Physically Unable to Perform list. As a rookie, Brooks tore his ACL in just his third game, and he will miss the entire 2025 season. Brooks also tore his ACL in the 2023 season while in college, so the team is giving him extra time to rehab and recover. Carolina also parted ways with pass catcher Jordan Matthews, who began his career as a wide receiver with the Philadelphia Eagles but has tried to transition to tight end over the last few years. Another converted tight end, Colin Granger, was waived as he attempted to transition from one sport to another. Granger played five seasons of college basketball with three different schools and was attempting to parlay his hoops skills onto the gridiron. However, he lasted roughly a month with Carolina before being cut. All of these roster moves come on the eve of Carolina's
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bucs Rival Announces Blockbuster Roster Decision
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hoping to repeat as NFC South champions for the fifth straight season in 2025, while extending their postseason run to six consecutive appearances. After an impressive 2025 NFL Draft, general manager Jason Licht has the team poised for another division title as the team heads into rookie minicamp this weekend with their new draftees under contract. Advertisement While most consider the Atlanta Falcons to be the Bucs' biggest threat to a South title, the Carolina Panthers should not be slept on. Quarterback Bryce Young is entering his third season in the league, and after a rocky rookie campaign, finally showed us flashes with an impressive second season, his first with former Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales as head coach. The Panthers continue to make changes to their roster, post-draft. After announcing running back Jonathan Brooks will miss all of 2025 on the physically unable to perform list, the team released veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney after just one season in Carolina. Advertisement The journeyman defender signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Panthers last offseason and notched 46 total tackles with 24 solo and nine for loss, 5.5 sacks, 11 QB hits and four passes defended. The former No. 1 overall draft pick of the Houston Texans in 2014 now becomes one of the top free agent pass rushers available in free agency. After spending five seasons with the Texans, Clowney has played for five teams over the past six seasons, spending more than one year with just one. Clowney spent 2019 in Seattle before moving on to the Titans in 2020. He played two seasons with the Browns in 2021-22, then signed with the Ravens for 2023 and the Panthers in 2024. Related: Buccaneers Dynamic Duo Ranks As Best in NFL Related: Analyst Details One Key Need For Buccaneers on Defense
