Jets 'highly motivated' to add three-time Pro Bowl DE

Following Jadeveon Clowney‘s visit with the Jets earlier this month, New York is focused on finalizing a deal. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the Jets are “highly motivated” to sign the veteran edge rusher to a contract. Schultz notes that the two sides have had “constant contact” since their in-person meeting.

Since losing Bryce Huff to the Eagles, the Jets have been hunting for some reinforcement on the edge. As Schultz notes, the Jets were in the running for Shaquil Barrett “until the very end,” but they lost out on that sweepstakes when the pass rusher signed with the Dolphins.

Now, they’re shifting their focus to Clowney, who is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The former first-overall pick got into 17 games (15 starts) for the Ravens in 2023, finishing with 9.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, and a pair of forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus graded Clowney 18th among 112 qualifying edge defenders for his efforts.

In New York, Clowney would slide right into the rotational pass-rush role previously held by Huff, who finished last season with 10 sacks. While Huff didn’t start a game last year, he still got close to 500 defensive snaps playing alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. Clowney garnered 654 snaps with the Ravens in 2023 for comparison's sake.

We heard previously that the Ravens were looking to retain the veteran, and Clowney also met with the Panthers during his free-agency tour. According to Schultz, both teams remain in the hunt for the free agent, but it sounds like the Jets have been especially active in finalizing a deal.