Clowney Will Sign With Titans

The free agent defensive end has been one of Tennessee's targets since the start of the new league year.

It was nearly six months ago that the NFL’s free agency signing period started, and not long after the Tennessee Titans publicly expressed their interest in defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

The wait was worth it for general manager Jon Robinson, coach Mike Vrabel and the rest of the franchise that got within a game of playing in the Super Bowl last season. The Titans officially announced Sunday that the first overall pick in the 2014 draft and three-time Pro Bowler had agreed to contract terms.

The Titans were Clowney’s choice over New Orleans. The Seattle Seahawks also were consistently included among those teams that wanted to sign him. Clowney played for Seattle in 2019 after being traded prior to the start of the regular season.

ProFootballTalk reported that Clowney agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal. The Titans had significantly more salary cap space -- $21,706,448 – than the Seahawks or Saints (source: OverTheCap,com).

Vrabel confirmed Friday that the Titans had "an offer out" to Clowney, and ESPN’s Dianna Russini first reported Saturday that the deal would get done.

Jadeveon Clowney is expected to sign with the Tennessee Titans sources tell ESPN. He rejoins Mike Vrabel who was on the Texans defensive staff for Clowney’s first 3 years in the league in Houston. The Saints, the other main suitor, made a very strong case. This was a close one.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) September 5, 2020

A short time after the initial report, Russini followed another that said Clowney had begun to interact with his new teammates.

Jadeveon Clowney has told Titans officials he plans to sign with them, per sources. He has also texted with his new teammates his enthusiasm for joining the team. Clowney is expected to travel to Nashville soon.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) September 6, 2020

The choice to sign with the Titans – assuming it happens – will reunite Clowney with Vrabel and others who coached him during his five seasons with the Houston Texans (2014-18).

Vrabel was a position coach with Houston for two years and the defensive coordinator in 2017 (Clowney’s best NFL season) before he took over in Tennessee. His Titans’ staff includes two defensive assistants who also coached in Houston.

Cornerback Johnathan Joseph, a former Texans teammate as well as a Clowney mentor, plays for the Titans. He signed as a free agent back in late April.

Familiarity figures to be a significant factor given the late date and the fact that teams did not have a traditional offseason to implement their systems and indoctrinate their players in them. 

In six NFL seasons, Clowney has registered 32 sacks, 80 quarterback hits and 71 tackles for loss in 75 career contests. He also has forced eight fumbles and recovered eight fumbles.

He was named to the Pro Bowl three straight years beginning in 2016 and has made the NFL's "Top 100 Players" list each of the past four seasons. He was No. 41 on this year's list, the second-highest ranking he has attained to date.