Jadeveon Clowney is one of the top remaining free agents on the market, and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh would like to have the edge rusher back.
While speaking to reporters at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting on Monday, Harbaugh said he has been in contact with Clowney and added that there is “optimism” that the Ravens will be able to re-sign him, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.
Clowney recently visited with the New York Jets and has also met with several other teams. However, he remains unsigned in late March.
The 31-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign in Baltimore this past year, playing in every game and racking up 43 tackles, 9.5 sacks, a couple of forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and five passes defended.
Clowney, who played his collegiate football at the University of South Carolina, was originally selected by the Houston Texans with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft.
After a couple of disappointing seasons to begin his career, Clowney finally broke through in his third year and made three straight Pro Bowl appearances between 2016 and 2018. His best season during that span came in 2017, when he rattled off 59 tackles, 9.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown.
Following his five-year run with the Texans, Clowney has bounced around the league quite a bit, playing for four different teams since then. He has spent time with the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and, most recently, the Ravens.
He has produced mixed results over that time and has never logged double-digit sacks once in his career, so overall, he may be a bit of a disappointment given his draft position.
However, there is no doubt that Jadeveon Clowney is an impactful player, so it’s no wonder that John Harbaugh would love to have him back in Baltimore for 2024.
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