Jadeveon Clowney may regret turning down the Cleveland Browns offer

Jadeveon Clowney has turned down the Cleveland Browns contract offer according to Adam Schefter, a decision Clowney may regret.

Jadeveon Clowney has turned down the Cleveland Browns offer. The offer was apparently for more money than any other team was offering across multiple years. A dream contract considering the former No. 1 overall pick has as many suitors as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan has at a Cleveland prom. Next to none.

Clowney’s decision has left many stunned, considering he would’ve been able to actually be productive next to a great pass rusher, while earning all sorts of money. Nick Pedone of Factory of Sadness’s sister site, Dawg Pound Daily, flat out asked “who does he think he is?”

A fair question at this juncture.

Clowney may regret turning down the Browns deal.

Clowney has never lived up to the hype of his draft selection. Most people fail to remember but Clowney was so dominant that some in the NFL-blogosphere were starting to advocate for him skipping his junior seasons so he didn’t risk getting hurt before getting drafted. That’s how good he was, that he was already viewed as the de facto No. 1 overall pick.

He only registered three sacks as a junior, mind you.

Clowney isn’t just scoffing at a deal that won’t come around again, he’s also holding up the rest of the free-agent market. Guys like Everson Griffen, Terrell Suggs, and Clay Matthews III are all waiting to see what Clowney signs for. The problem, there’s no demand for Clowney.

Now, no one should be forced to play where they don’t want to. Once you finish your rookie deal it’s up to you to decide where to go. Yet, if this was about the money, then Clowney is certainly living up to his name. If this was about not just wanting to go to Cleveland; then fair.

Yet, if this was about trying to get more money, then he’s certainly going to look foolish. No team will surpass the Browns offer, because they don’t have to now. The Browns or whoever could just go to Griffen, who’s a bit older, and give him a vastly different but still fair deal, thus undercutting Clowney’s leverage. If the highest bidder is out, that means everyone else can just come in low.

Clowney just walked away from a lot of money and for what? To not be overshadowed by Myles Garrett? To not have to learn a new defense? To not have to put up with Odell Beckham’s antics?

Ok, again, fair.

Now that Clowney is off the table, the Browns should consider going after Griffen and Matthews both. Shore up the left side of that defense, and watch how much better the team can be.