Cleveland Browns free agent preview: Jadeveon Clowney

With a big hole at defensive line for the Cleveland Browns currently, Jadeveon Clowney will be an extremely important piece to retain in 2022.

History: If you remember, the Cleveland Browns were courting Jadeveon Clowney to come before the start of the 2020 season. Multiple reports were the Browns offered him the most money, but he chose to go to the Tennessee Titans instead.

The Browns would ultimately get what they wanted, just a year later when Clowney signed a one-year, $8 million deal, after an awful season with the Titans.

Production: Clowney was nothing short of fantastic for the Browns in 2021. He continued to be an elite-run defender which he has been his whole career. And while he only ended the season with nine sacks, it felt like he had more pressure than Myles Garrett did at times.

The bottom line is, Clowney and Garrett were a force to be reckoned with and really helped make this defense an elite unit to end the season. Unfortunately, the Browns just forgot how to play offense during that time.

Path Forward: There are reports that the Browns are going to let Clowney field his interest in free agency before working on a new deal, which I see as a huge mistake.  There isn’t a doubt in my mind that someone is going to be willing to pay him $20 million a year.

However, Clowney has said he loves it in Cleveland. He hasn’t had the kind of success he did in 2021 since being paired with J.J. Watt in Houston in 2018 when he also had nine sacks. Is it safe to think that Clowney understands he is an elite No. 2 defensive end, but struggles when he’s the No. 1 target?

Remember, the last two seasons with the Seahawks and Titans, he had a total of three sacks in two seasons. Clowney needs to be a top priority for the Browns.

However, he may take slightly below market value to remain in Cleveland and know that Garrett is on the other side of him drawing a ton of attention.