Jadeveon Clowney hits big pay-day incentive in Browns-Bengals finale
Jadeveon Clowney had a financially fruitful day in the Browns regular-season finale win against the Bengals, totally 2.0 sacks.
Clowney’s wallet was fattened by $250,000 after his second sack of Brandon Allen, as the ninth sack helped him hit an incentive marker.
He had already pocketed $500,000 for reaching 7.0 sacks on the season, according to ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi.
Entering the season, there were major questions as to whether Clowney could be a contributor as an every-down pass rusher. He had earned a reputation as a run stopper, but he never had the big season everyone thought he would when he came out of South Carolina.
Additionally, huge questions lingered over his injury history.
Clowney played in 13 of the Browns 17 games, which was an improvement over the eight he played last season. Only once has Clowney played an entire season, and that was back in 2017.
He’ll hit free agency, but I’m not sure his price is going to up, annually, all that much from what the Browns paid him in 2021.
He basically signed an $8 million base deal. Incentives could’ve elevated the price to $10 million. I’m not sure Clowney got to the later figure, but he was close to maxing it out. With that in mind, I’m not sure there’s a team that’s going to pay him much more than the $8-10 million per season.
Browns: Jadeveon Clowney wasn’t only player who cashed in
Besides Clowney, Sunday was a big day for backup running back D’Ernest Johnson. The former Gulf fisherman turned in 25 carries for 123 yards and a touchdown.
He doesn’t have the money yet, but he’ll get it when he reaches free agency. He’ll hit the market having averaged 5.5 yards per carry backing up Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. He ended with 411 yards on 75 carries.
dark. Next. Draft position is locked up: Where will Browns pick?
It’s unlikely the Browns will be able to keep him with millions of dollars already invested in the running back room, but it’s a good bet Johnson will get a contract somewhere, that could pay him somewhere of $2.5 million per season.