Texans, Jadeveon Clowney Agree To Deal

The Browns recently hosted Clowney on a free agent visit. Mutual interest clearly existed with respect to a reunion on that front, with Cleveland representing one of his previous stops. The Seahawks, meanwhile, also showed interest in Clowney. He spent one season in Seattle, but instead of a return to the Emerald City the journeyman will remain in Texas following a year with the Cowboys.

Clowney’s Browns visit went well, Garafolo confirms. He adds the former No. 1 pick remained in contact with multiple teams while weighing his options. Clowney is no stranger to lengthy spells on the open market, and it has once again taken until after the start of training camp for him to land his next deal. This will nevertheless make for a noteworthy return after a five-year spell in Houston.

From 2014-18, Clowney operated as a key defensive figure with the Texans. His athleticism and strong play against the run was consistently on display over that time, and a 9.5-sack campaign led to the franchise tag being applied. The South Carolina product delivered another nine-sack outing during his final Houston season, but afterwards he began a string of short-term deals. Clowney played on six teams in a seven-year stretch after his initial Texans stint ended.

Upon returning to his initial NFL franchise, Clowney will aim to carve out a rotational role. The three-time Pro Bowler is joining a defense which expects to once again be among the league’s best in 2026. That is due in large part to the expectations surrounding edge rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. The former signed a $50MM-per-year deal this spring, while the latter inked a one-year extension again featuring near-full guarantees.

“For sure, I was so excited,” Clowney said (via Wilson) when speaking about his Texans return. “I had more opportunities. When I found out the Texans were interested, it was a no-brainer for me. It was comfortable for me to do that. I was excited to help the situation.”

Clowney added that he reached out to Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans about a Houston signing ( h/t Wilson). That has now resulted in a deal, and at the age of 33 Clowney has set up a full-circle moment. His sack production has fluctuated over time, but he managed 9.5 sacks with Baltimore in 2023 and another 8.5 in Dallas last season. Similar production would offer a notable boost to a defense already featuring one of the top EDGE tandems in the NFL.

The Texans – who agreed to terms with another veteran defender in the form of Sione Takitaki yesterday – entered the weekend with over $27MM in cap space. Saturday’s pact, like this Clowney one, will provide considerable experience moving forward but it will also leave room for further additions as Houston aims for a deep playoff run in 2026.