Should Bengals Pursue Former Pro Bowl Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney in Free Agency?

The Carolina Panthers released Jadeveon Clowney on Thursday.

Not only is he a former Pro Bowler, but he's someone the Bengals have had to deal with in each of Joe Burrow's five seasons in Cincinnati.

This is the part where you're expecting me to say the Bengals should sign him.

They shouldn't.

The Bengals should add to their team, but they shouldn't sign Clowney. They drafted Shemar Stewart for a reason. They also have former first round pick Myles Murphy in the mix for more playing time.

Guys like Cam Sample and Joseph Ossai are hoping to prove themselves after signing one-year contracts with the Bengals.

The Bengals' defensive end room isn't perfect and there are question marks, but the only way to get answers is to put those players on the field.

Stewart, Murphy and Ossai should play regularly.

Obviously the Bengals need to make sure Trey Hendrickson is on the roster this season. Regardless, a defensive end room of Hendrickson, Stewart, Murphy, Ossai and Sample feels like a well rounded group.

Things can change and injuries can happen, but Clowney doesn't make sense for the Bengals.

He's still a capable player, finishing with 5.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss last season, but Cincinnati needs to figure out what they have—not only on the roster, but on their coaching staff.

The Bengals hired defensive coordinator Al Golden and defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery for a reason.

They need to get more out of their young guys. If the Bengals hadn't spent the 17th pick on a physical freak on Stewart, then we'd be having a different conversation. Stewart has a lot of the same traits that Clowney had when he was the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

It's up to Montomery to get the most out of Stewart right away. The Bengals need him to make an instant impact.

If circumstances were different, then signing Clowney would make sense, but the Bengals should pass on the former top pick—at least for now.