3 Cleveland Browns most likely playing their final season with team
By Greg Newland
No. 1 – Jadeveon Clowney
Every single offseason it feels like Jadeveon Clowney is one of the last guys to sign with a team. I’m not sure if he hates offseason workouts that much, or if he truly is indecisive. The Cleveland Browns have been lucky enough to have him the last two years, but I’m not sure it will happen again after his one-year deal is over.
Clowney is dominant when on the field, but he’s already missed a game in 2022 and has proven time and time again he is injury prone. The Browns are paying him just under $10 million for his one year of service but have four void years in the contract and will have him hitting the cap until 2025.
You’re going to see more and more contracts like this with major deals to Denzel Ward, Myles Garrett, and Watson, but the one with Clowney is absurd four years out. Andrew Berry has to get frustrated every offseason waiting for Clowney to make a decision, so I think they’ll be ready to move on after 2022.
Isiah Thomas and Alex Wright have both shown signs of being potential NFL starters at defensive end, but they are nowhere near ready to take every single snap. We saw last week vs. the Steelers with Clowney out how bad the pass rush can be when all you must focus on is Garrett.
Clowney has been fantastic in Cleveland and extremely productive, but once again I don’t think Berry will be able to afford him in 2023. At the age of 30, Clowney may also be looking for a multi-year deal while still in his prime.
