Jaguars Should Sign Jadeveon Clowney to Upgrade Roster

Current edge rushers on the squad include starters Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. There's also Dawuane Smoot and Myles Cole. ESPN's Aaron Schatz suggests a final move that could benefit the Jaguars is signing Jadeveon Clowney, and it makes a lot of sense.

He joined the league as the No. 1 pick in 2014 and has since played for six teams, with his most recent being the Panthers. In his one season there, he participated in 14 games, compiling 46 combined tackles and 5.5 sacks.

Clowney tied for the team lead in sacks and may still be good enough for a team in need of additional experienced edge rushers on the roster.

Last month, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and Myles Simmons discussed Clowney's release after one season with Carolina. Florio discussed Clowney's ability to disrupt opponents' plays effectively.

Clowney is a three-time Pro Bowler but hasn't quite been at that level in a while. He's now 32, and some of his overall skills may have deteriorated. 

However, Simmons believes that there is an NFL team out there that can utilize him effectively on its roster. He said the first team that popped into his head was the contending Detroit Lions because teams "can never have enough edge rushers."

Still, ESPN's Schatz indicated that Clowney could rotate in with Jacksonville's other edge rushers effectively.

He also mentioned other edge rushers available to sign, including Matthew Judon, Preston Smith, or Za'Darius Smith. However, Schatz believes Clowney brings great strength "setting the edge" and would be a great substitute for Walker in the Jaguars' rotation.

According to Spotrac, the Panthers originally signed Clowney to a $20 million, two-year contract. He becomes a free agent in 2026.

With training camp set to start near the end of July, it will be interesting to see which direction the Jaguars' front office goes with any additional moves to improve the roster.