The Jadeveon Clowney era in Houston has come to an end. The Texans and Seahawks have agreed to a trade that will send the star edge-rusher to Seattle. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reports that the Texans will receive a 2020 third-rounder, defensive end Barkevious Mingo and linebacker Jacob Martin.
While the deal is all but “done,” according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, there are a few formalities that need to be taken care of. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Clowney is currently in Seattle to sign his franchise tender, which would enable Houston to trade him. Clowney, Mingo and Martin will also need to pass physicals before the deal’s completed. We learned earlier that the two sides had been progressing toward a deal.
The move makes plenty of sense for the Seahawks. They don't have to commit to a new Clowney deal until the offseason, allowing them to evaluate his fit on the team. Further, if the edge-rusher ends up leaving in free agency, they’re likely land a 2021 third-round compensatory draft pick. While the organization will have to fit Clowney’s $15.9M tag charge into their $25M in cap space (the team cleared $4M by trading Mingo), it was still clearly worth the “risk.”
Considering the Seahawks’ need for pass-rushing help, Clowney’s desire to play in Seattle and the minimal asking price, there’s really no risk at all. While the Seahawks did add defensive end Ziggy Ansah, they moved on from veteran Frank Clark. The team will also be without defensive tackle Jarran Reed for the first six games due to suspension, necessitating their need for help up front.
The Texans were somewhat stuck behind a rock and a hard place when it came to the Clowney trade talks. The 26-year-old did have a bit of leverage regarding where he could land, and it apparently worked. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported that the Dolphins and Texans were well on their way to hammering out a deal. When Clowney refused to play in Miami, it allowed one of his preferred suitors to swoop in.
In other words, the Texans did relatively well considering the circumstances. Most teams would purely view Clowney as a rental, so a third-rounder is fine value for an impending free agent. Plus, while Martin may not be a recognizable player, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport noted that one GM gushed about the player’s motor. The 2018 sixth-round pick had nine tackles and three sacks as a rookie.
Mingo, a former first-rounder, has bounced around the NFL during his six-year career. He started a career-high 14 games for Seattle in 2018, compiling 48 tackles and two forced fumbles.
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