Jadeveon Clowney reportedly has the Dallas Cowboys near the top of the list of teams he would like to sign with this offseason. RJ Ochoa of Blogging the Boys reported that Tony Pauline appeared on The NFL Draft Insiders Podcast Friday and laid out which two teams would be the most ideal for the defensive star. The Cowboys are reportedly tied with the New Orleans Saints for Clowney, though it’s not clear whether either team has room under the salary cap to sign him.
The Cowboys just acquired starting quarterback Dak Prescott using his franchise tag , meaning another $31 million is now spoken for in 2020. The team is also said to be considering making a play for New York Jets’ defensive back Jamal Adams. Reports last week claimed that Adams had the Cowboys among his favorite teams as well. He was a target of the front office just ahead of the trade deadline in 2019, but a deal couldn’t be finalized. Now the Cowboys could have a second chance.
Pauline said he doesn’t believe either team has enough money to bring in Clowney.
“The Saints have less than $9M under the cap. The Cowboys are about $11.2M below the cap,” Pauline said. “So I don’t think either of that is going to be enough to bring Clowney in. They would have to do some significant maneuvering of salary in order to bring him in for a year if, in fact, those teams want him. I don’t know that they want him. I know that Clowney would like, wouldn’t mind ending up with either the Cowboys or the Saints from what I’m told.”
Ochoa pointed out this offseason has been like no other in the history of the NFL because of the coronavirus pandemic. There is still some doubt whether a season will even be played. If it does go ahead, some around the league expect it to be carried out without fans in the stands. The lack of gate receipts will make it even harder for cash-strapped teams to absorb big contracts.
Ochoa added that Clowney clearly believes he’s one of the best pass rushers in the game and should be paid that way. However, if rumors surrounding Clowney are true, he’s not only looking for a giant contract. The Cleveland Browns reportedly offered him more money than any other team pursuing the defensive star. So far, he has rebuffed those advances in favor of allegedly waiting and hoping something can get done with one of his top choices.