Pro Football Network Suggests Packers Sign Former Pro Bowler

In June 2021, the Green Bay Packers signed linebacker De’Vondre Campbell to a one-year contract. Campbell turned in an unexpected All-Pro stadium to help the Packers earn the No. 1 seed.

Is there another move to be made this June?

Pro Football Network pinpointed one potential free-agent addition for each team. For the Packers, the choice was former Pro Bowl defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

Clowney isn’t the havoc-creating edge defender he was early in his career. After all, there’s a reason why the 32-year-old is looking for work with the start of training camp about 50 days away.

Nonetheless, he had a solid season for the Panthers in 2024. In 14 games (all starts), he had 5.5 sacks, nine tackles for losses, 11 quarterback hits and four passes defensed, according to the official stats.

“The Green Bay Packers are hoping that they can get more production from their edge rushers in 2025 than they did last season,” PFN wrote. “Rashan Gary (7.5 sacks) was the only edge rusher on the team to record at least five sacks a season ago. The next closest was Kingsley Enagbare with 4.5.”

According to Pro Football Focus, 86 edge defenders had at least 225 pass-rushing opportunities. Clowney ranked 18th in pass-rush win rate while Gary was 34th, Lukas Van Ness was 58th and Enagbare was 76th. In pass-rush productivity, which measures sacks, hit and hurries per pass-rushing snap, Clowney was tied with Khalil Mack for 25th while Gary was 38th, Enagbare was 63rd and Van Ness was 68th.

Clowney is “far removed from the player he once was, but he can still be a disruptive force,” PFN noted. Clowney had 44 pressures in 14 games and 346 pass-rushing snaps while Gary had 47 pressures in 416 pass-rushing snaps. So, Clowney had three fewer pressures in three fewer games and 70 fewer snaps.

The Packers went heavy on offense in the draft, with their first three picks used on receiver Matthew Golden, offensive lineman Anthony Belton and receiver Savion Williams. They picked two defensive ends in Day 3 with Texas’ Barryn Sorrell, a high-character player with solid production, and Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver, a high-impact player when healthy in 2023 but undersized.

“It’s unclear if they're ready to make an immediate impact,” PFN wrote. “Clowney isn't elite, but he comes with proven production. That's something Green Bay should consider, especially as a team with serious postseason hopes.”

Other edge rushers who remain available include Matthew Judon, Za’Darius Smith, Von Miller and Shaquil Barrett.

Judon is an interesting possibility; he played at New England with new Packers defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington. He had 15.5 sacks with the Patriots in 2022 but missed most of 2023 and had 5.5 sacks in 17 games with the Falcons last season.

Smith, a former Pro Bowler with the Packers, had nine sacks in 17 games with the Browns and Lions last season.

Barrett came out of retirement late last season and “definitely” wants to play in 2025. He had 10 sacks for the Buccaneers in 2021 but a total of 7.5 sacks in 2022 and 2023 and zero in his lone game last season.