Indianapolis Colts: Jadeveon Clowney worth breaking the bank
Jadeveon Clowney could be on the move in NFL free agency after spending 2019 in Seattle and he’s worth the Indianapolis Colts breaking the bank.
Just last offseason, Jadeveon Clowney was one of the hottest names in NFL circles. After being franchise tagged by the Houston Texans, it became more apparent that he would be traded and he eventually was, landing with the Seattle Seahawks for modest compensation. But after one year with Seattle, he figures to be a hot commodity again, this time in 2020 NFL free agency.
As the Seahawks face some significant financial hurdles this offseason and while Clowney looks to cash in on a huge long-term deal, it seems as if Seattle ultimately paid for a one-year rental and a compensatory pick for the outside pass-rusher. Subsequently, the former No. 1 overall pick could find a new home with any team willing to break the bank for him.
One such team willing to do so could be the Indianapolis Colts. According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, sources in the league believe that the Colts, along with the Miami Dolphins, are in line to pursue Clowney in free agency, offering him a “market-setting” contract that the Seahawks simply can’t afford given their current salary cap constraints.
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Colts general manager Chris Ballard certainly has the financial flexibility to make a big splash in free agency, be it with Clowney or otherwise. According to Over The Cap, Indianapolis has the second-most cap space in the league in the 2020 offseason, clocking in at just over $86 million to work with.
With the Houston Texans winning the AFC South last season and the Tennessee Titans emerging as contenders in their own right, there could be a sense of urgency from the Colts to make big moves to try and get on that level to compete. While that may include a switch from Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, improving a defense that ranked 17th overall and 19th against the pass in Football Outsiders’ DVOA last season would go a long way in helping the team as well.
The question, however, is if Clowney is worth breaking the bank for if you’re the Colts. He’s likely to want north of $20 million per year on a new contract, which his market value according to Spotrac corroborates. Is he worth that price to Indianapolis?
If the Colts were in a position where they were financially strapped, the answer might be less obvious. But with the money they have to play with and their lack of a dominant presence in the front seven, specifically as it pertains to their pass rush, Jadeveon Clowney would be worth every penny.
Yes, Clowney is coming off a season in Seattle where he was not consistently dominant, at least in terms of the box score. However, his presence on the field was obvious throughout the year, despite the amount of attention offenses were allowed to pay him given the shortcomings on the rest of the Seahawks front.
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Signing Clowney to be the star of the defense in Indianapolis would be the first step in this team getting to the level of the Texans and Titans, thus staying competitive in the AFC South. It’s not the only move that Ballard and the Colts need to make, though it would surely be the most expensive. But again, the money would be well spent given their current situation.