Should Cardinals Sign Jadeveon Clowney?

The entire offseason for the Arizona Cardinals has been spent trying to improve a defense that overachieved last year, but still was not good enough. They’ve largely been successful doing that, including big free agent spendings on players like Josh Sweat and using premium draft picks on Walter Nolan and Will Johnson.

The unit is vastly improved from what we saw last year, especially with the auditions joining other studs currently on the team like Garrett Williams and Budda Baker.

Now that we are in May, it seems unlikely the Cardinals will be making any more additions to their team — at least as it currently stands. Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re going to ignore anyone available who could potentially improve the roster.

Does a guy like Jadeveon Clowney fall into that distinction?

Why Cardinals Don't Need Clowney

Clowney is an interesting case. Over the course of his career, the South Carolina product has racked up 58 career sacks over 11 seasons. Four of those years he posted nine sacks or better. Clowney has also been elected to the Pro Bowl three times and made Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2016.

The former number one overall pick has stayed productive over the last several seasons. Last year with a horrific Panthers defense, he posted 5.5 sacks. The year before he had 9.5 sacks with the Ravens.

He’s a great plug-and-play for a defense that is looking for a few pieces to round things out and put themselves over the top.

But is that what the Cardinals need?

He’s 32 years old and is more of a mercenary for hire than a long-term option. That could be an option for a team trying to win now, but the Cardinals are also trying to build this roster for the long term and Clowney isn’t necessarily that guy.

When we look at the current edge rushing room, Arizona's priority has been bringing younger player building the room. Josh Sweat is “veteran”’of the room at 28 years old. The rest of the group (BJ Ojulari, Baron Browning, Jordan Burch, Zaven Collins) are 26 or under by the start of the season.

The true vets of the front seven are on the defensive line with Dalvin Tomlinson (31) and Calais Campbell (39). It doesn’t seem accidental for that to be the case.

It’s a move that truly depends on what direction the Cardinals are trying to go. But trends of the present shows me the team is looking to stay younger and fresher off the edge. Although Clowney is still producing in his 30's now, he would feel like an odd man out of the current room.

Clowney is a budget piece at this point in his career, and a player you know exactly what you’re getting out of. It’s a low-risk, medium-reward kind of signing that won’t hurt, but will it push this team over the top? Not likely, no.

That may be the nail in the coffin for the conversation, too, as Clowney is simply not the player who rounds out this team. With the Cardinals searching for that player still, it would be wise to hold on to their assets instead of what is likely kicking the can down the road.