Jadeveon Clowney trade rumors: Situation offers little clarity for now
Jadeveon Clowney appears destined to get traded by the Houston Texans but the question of which team he lands on is hardly clear at this point.
When Jadeveon Clowney began his holdout from Houston Texans training camp after the team slapped the franchise tag on him, it stood to reason that he’d eventually report and be with Houston for the 2019 season. That doesn’t appear it’s going to be the case. In fact, the likeliest outcome is that Clowney is traded.
A report from John McClain of the Houston Chronicle asserts that the Texans are now actively looking to trade the No. 1 overall pick from 2015. Furthermore, the pass-rusher has options abound.
Aaron Wilson, also of the Houston Chronicle, reported on Tuesday that the Miami Dolphins are interested in a trade for Clowney. The edge defender has even met with new Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in recent days. However, Wilson also notes that Clowney’s preferred destinations are the Philadelphia Eagles or Seattle Seahawks.
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There is no word on the interest level of either the Eagles or Seahawks. While there’s no team in the league that wouldn’t want a player of Jadeveon Clowney’s caliber, the looming new contract that Clowney will eventually sign is certain to give organizations pause — especially considering that he can’t sign a new extension right away.
At the same time, what Clowney prefers in this situation is critical. As he’s yet to report to training camp and sign his franchise tender, he basically holds all the leverage in a potential trade. If he doesn’t want to play for a team that the Texans have a deal in place with, he can simply not sign his tender and a trade can’t be made.
That’s unfortunate for the Texans as it pertains to the Dolphins. Logic dictates that Houston would like to upgrade the offensive line in front of Deshaun Watson and Miami could be willing to deal offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, though Aaron Wilson reported that the Dolphins won’t do so as of right now.
If the Dolphins’ tune were to change in regards to Tunsil, though, the Texans could be in business. Again, though, that depends on if Clowney would want to be in Miami. The Dolphins are a far different situation from the Eagles and Seahawks in terms of their contention, even if they have the money readily available to play Clowney as a part of their rebuild.
The only thing clear right now is that a Jadeveon Clowney trade is near inevitable. We don’t know where he’ll land, even if we know of one interested team and two others that Clowney would like to end up with. We don’t know if Clowney will report to camp and play in Houston at the start of the regular season. We just don’t know.
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Regardless, a potential game-changing edge rusher is on the market right now and, though the situation is anything but simple, that’s worth monitoring heavily. Clowney going on the move could change the landscape of the league and the fortunes of whatever team ultimately trades for him.