Cleveland Browns: Top 10 remaining NFL free agents and if they fit
By Chad Porto
No. 1 – Jadeveon Clowney (DE)
Jadeveon Clowney seemed like the perfect fit for so many teams when free agency began. Considered one of the best players in the league, Clowney brought a great attack against the run. Yet, was not the pass rusher so many college scouts touted him to be coming out of South Carolina. Now, Clowney is looking to join his third team in as many years and without a long term deal to boot.
Despite so many people hyping up Clowney, he had to cut his yearly salary demands and has yet to receive a deal that he likes. The Browns were the team that offered him the “best” contract so far, but he doesn’t seem interested. Whether it’s because he doesn’t like Cleveland or because he doesn’t like the contract, but either way Clowney has no interest in the alleged best deal on the table.
Clowney has yet to record double-digit sacks and that’s a sign that he may not be the pass rusher so many thought he would be. Beyond that, a lot of Clowney’s free agency seems to be that of people fawning over the best available player and not the best player at the position. He’s not the date everyone wants for prom, he’s just the last one everyone knows is still available.
That theory is compounded even further with the fact that Everson Griffen could be signed before him and more and more teams opting to talk to Jacksonville about Yannick Ngakoue than continue negotiating with Clowney.
The Cleveland Browns could use his talents but not at the price he’s asking for. Even though he’ll face more one on one’s with the Browns than maybe with any other team, he’s still not someone who you can count on to get to the quarterback. Just look at how he did while playing across from J.J. Watt. Watt demanded triple-teams at times, yet now Clowney couldn’t match his expectations with the best defensive player of the last decade playing on his side. Yet now he’ll crack ten-sacks? Seems unlikely.
Does he fit?
If you need him to. Ngakoue and Griffen are better fits for the team.
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