There continues to be smoke around the possibility of the Eagles signing Jadeveon Clowney.
The latest rumor connecting the two comes from former NFL player and radio analyst Dan Sileo, who says the Eagles have "put a deal" in front of Clowney:
The @Eagles have put a deal in front of @clownejd ...The @Seahawks want him back...BUT both deals are near what Clowney thought he was going to get...stay tuned!!
— Dan Sileo (@DanSileoShow) May 9, 2020This rumor comes on the heels of a report from FOX 26's Mark Berman in Houston that the Eagles are one of five teams still showing interest in signing Clowney. The other four, according to Berman, are the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks. Berman recently posted a seires of videos of Clowney working out in Houston and spoke to the defensive end.
"I'm just waiting on the right opportunity," Clowney said.
If the rumor is true, and the Eagles do have a contract offer out to Clowney, it doesn't necessarily mean they are all-in on trying to sign him. The Eagles could have let his agent know a number they are willing to sign Clowney at, but that number could be so low that it isn't realistically going to happen. The Eagles always keep tabs on free agents, especially ones like Clowney, and try to get a bargain deal if they can.
The Seahawks acquired Clowney in a deal with the Houston Texans last August, and although they are listed and rumores to still have interest, they recently gave away his number, a pretty strong sign he won't be returning. The Eagles have the second-most cap space ($23.5 million) of the other teams listed, with only the Browns ($38.45 million) topping them. Their complicated cap situation in 2021, however, could impact how much they are willing to pay Clowney.
Clowney ending up on the Eagles after his hit on Carson Wentz in the playoffs essentially ended their season would be pretty ironic, but it is unlikely to have an impact on the team's potential desire to sign him.
Wentz said recently on 94WIP that he would have no issues with the Eagles bringing in Clowney.
"At the end of the day, whether there was a flag thrown or a fine, I was still knocked out. I was still coming out of the game, I still wasn't able to finish. So to me, I don't know if 15-yards would have made a ton of difference anyway," Wentz said to Angelo Cataldi. "I don't think there was any ill-will. I think Jadeveon is a heck of a player. Whether it was clean or not, I don't think he intended to have a dirty hit. It was one of those fluky things, the way I was diving, the way he was diving."
Despite a need at pass rusher, Howie Roseman didn't make a trade for Clowney last season when he had a chance, a move that came back to bite the Eagles. Part of the reason at the time was the team's desire to give Derek Barnett a chance to develop and be the starter opposite of Brandon Graham. Another was Clowney being on the franchise tag with no option to negotiate a new deal at the time of the trade.
Close to eleven months later, however, things could have changed for the Eagles and their interest in Clowney.
To start, Barnett had a disappointing season and it is hard to feel overly confident about him making a big impact as a full-time starter in 2020. The Eagles likely won't be as hesitant to bring in a big-time pass rusher if they get the chance, even if it does impact Barnett's snaps.
Another reason the Eagles could be showing more interest now is that they will get the chance to sign Clowney to a much more team-friendly deal. Paying Clowney the franchise tag last season would have eaten up almost all of their cap space at the time. Now, after sitting on the free agency market for months, Clowney's deal will likely be much cheaper than anticipated, and he might even be willing to accept a one-year.
Clowney had more interest in joining the Eagles than the Eagles did in bringing him in last year, and if it comes down to it, he might decide Philadelphia — where he can rush the passer along some elite defensive tackles — is the best spot for him to grow his value for next offseason.
Whether the Eagles are open to signing Clowney to a long-term deal remains to be seen, but one thing does seem clear — as Clowney remains unsigned and his value is presumably dropping, Roseman appears ready and willing to make a move if the price is right.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
