Free agent DE Jadeveon Clowney says reunion with Texans 'would be nice'
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is looking for a place to land in free agency, and where could be better than the team that started it all?
The 30-year-old pass rusher was the Houston Texans' No. 1 overall pick in 2014. He spent five years with the team, notching 29 sacks and three Pro Bowl selections. He was then traded to Seattle ahead of the 2019 season. After one season there, he joined the Tennessee Titans in 2020. Clowney was signed by the Cleveland Browns in 2021, then was cut in March after complaints about his role.
Now, his representatives have spoken with the Texans this offseason and he hopes for an opportunity, he told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston.
"It would be nice," Clowney said. "All my family is here. Friends here. The guys I work out with can help me take care of my body a lot better being right up under them. You never know. You never know what will happen. You never know what's in front of you."
Clowney recorded only two sacks in his last season with the Browns. He had nine sacks the season prior. He's still confident in his ability to contribute to a team, saying he has "a lot" left in the tank.
"I'll show you. We'll see. There's a lot of guys I know that can't outdo me right now. I won't talk about it — I don't like to toot my own horn — I just like to show up and show out," he said.
While the Texans finished with the NFL's second-worst record last season, Clowney believes the team is primed for success. Plus, it sounds like head coach DeMeco Ryans will have Clowney's support even if he doesn't get signed to the team.
"I see they putting the pieces together," he said. "I'm a big fan of their new head coach. They've got some guys up front I think can go — Maliek [Collins] and they just got the rookie [Will Anderson] this year. It'll be a big thing to see what they do this year. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do. Especially since I'm here. I don't know. We'll see what happens."
Clowney might be getting older, but his decorated résumé will likely still attract some options — which is all he really wants.
"I'm looking to bounce back this year," he said. "I'm not really worried about no timetable or where I end up or how it goes. I just want to continue to play the game I love."
