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Cleveland Browns franchise tag candidates David Njoku, Jadeveon Clowney

By Elliot Kennel

Dec 20, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) leaps for the ball along with Las Vegas Raiders defensive back Dallin Leavitt (32) and cornerback Brandon Facyson (35) during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) leaps for the ball along with Las Vegas Raiders defensive back Dallin Leavitt (32) and cornerback Brandon Facyson (35) during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cleveland Browns
Nov 7, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) celebrates as he leaves the field following the win against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /

Jadeveon Clowney satisfies an immediate glaring need for Cleveland Browns

If the Browns apply the non-exclusive franchise tag to Jadeveon Clowney this off-season, his pay will be boosted from $8 million to $20.2 million. That sounds like an incredible pay raise for a 29-year-old with an injury history, and it is. However, consider the following:

The Browns stand to lose not only Clowney but Takkarist McKinley, who had a good year as a rotational defensive end before suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon at the end of the season. McKinley is also a free agent.

Also out is talented but troubled Malik McDowell, who is probably not eligible to play again, but in any case, has more important things to worry about besides football right now. The other starter at defensive tackle, Malik Jackson, is also a departing free agent.

Myles Garrett is a superstar, but he is the only one left. The Browns are losing four starting-caliber defensive linemen. They are also losing starting linebacker Anthony Walker, Jr. and cornerback M.J. Stewart.

Nevertheless, if you ask a random fan at a Browns Backers club, what should the Cleveland Browns do in the off-season, the most common theme seems to be, “draft a speedy wide receiver in the first round! This team is desperate!”

Desperate? Hey, we have a guy who is a five-time Pro Bowler already on the roster and he’s only 29 years old.

“Who, Jarvis? Nah man, we have to cut him! No good!”

Wait, weren’t you saying the Browns were desperate for a wide receiver?

“Yes! Got to draft one in the first round! Move up if necessary! And we need a new quarterback.”

Well, this fan would like to see a new face or two in the wide receiver room, but he may or may not come from the first round. There needs to be some help for Myles Garrett, plus two replacements at defensive tackle. Defensive tackles do not necessarily have to be drafted in the first round, however.

Neither do wide receivers. If I get my way, the Browns are going to go defensive end in Round 1, but if you get your way and the Browns go wide receiver in Round 1, then Jadeveon Clowney starts to make more sense as a franchise player.

Note also that just as Covid messed with revenues last season, which was reflected in reduced free agent dollars league-wide, this season the free-agent dollars are going to come roaring back. The Browns got a great bargain on a superstar coming off a down year last season, but in 2021 he reasserted himself and NFL teams have recharged their coffers.

Players like Clowney are due to get surprisingly large contracts compared to what they earned last season. $20 million is frankly a little high, but it is not crazy for a true star defensive end.

The Browns are probably going to be due for a compensatory pick in 2023 if either of these players leaves, providing that the Browns refrain from signing other comparable free agents. Compensatory picks are awarded if the team loses more free agents than they signed, and they get higher draft picks (up to the 3rd round) if the free agents sign big contracts. For that reason, it might be a good year to suck it up and refrain from signing big name free agents in favor of accumulating salary cap and compensatory draft picks.

David Njoku is actually a bargain at $10.8 million, but Jadeveon Clowney at $20.2 million for one season is not as crazy as it sounds. Guessing here is that the Browns will in fact tag Njoku. If so, and they let Clowney walk, the defensive line officially becomes a disaster area, and they will probably go defensive end early in the draft.

The Browns are not abandoning the Joe Woods defense or the Kevin Stefanski offense, so they need to replace Clowney at the top of the draft more than they need to draft a replacement for Odell Beckham, Jr. This is especially true when the Browns can draft receivers like Donovan Peoples-Jones and Demetric Felton in Round 6.

Plus, the Browns have Anthony Schwartz who is still only 21 years old and won’t turn 22 until next September 5. He had to depend on players like Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins to teach him how to shave, never mind study a playbook. Hopefully Browns fans have not formed an opinion about him at such a tender age. 2022 should really be considered his rookie season. He will get better.

The urgency for drafting wide receivers in the first round just does not seem to be there. They are supposed to be throwing the ball to tight ends, running backs, and possession receivers, not necessarily speedy guys who excel at indoor dome football.

Hence the guess here is that Njoku gets the franchise tag, and the Browns draft defense in the first round. If that is not the case, Clowney could be tagged. A third possibility is that the Browns might let both free agents go.

The Browns are already assured of getting one compensatory free agent due to losing front office exec Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. If they are careful to sign fewer qualifying free agents than they lose this offseason, they are due for yet another replacement pick in 2023.

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