The Dallas Cowboys have emerged as one of the winners of the 2020 offseason but signing Jadeveon Clowney would be the ultimate cherry on top.
Jadeveon Clowney may be the biggest name still available on the 2020 NFL free agency market. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2014 NFL Draft spent one season with Seattle last year but, be it due to the coronavirus limitations on physicals or his contract demands, he remains unsigned early in May. And that’s something the Dallas Cowboys should take advantage of.
When free agency first began, many were dubious about what Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and the rest of the Cowboys front office had in store. They failed to secure a long-term deal with quarterback Dak Prescott, got dangerously close to losing wide receiver Amari Cooper and saw Byron Jones, Robert Quinn and Randall Cobb all leave on the open market.
As things have progressed, though, the Cowboys have established themselves as offseason winners for 2020. They’ve signed key players such as Gerald McCoy and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix while securing one of the best classes in the 2020 NFL Draft, headlined by CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs. Moreover, they backed up Prescott with veteran Andy Dalton.
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Signing Jadeveon Clowney would be the finishing touches to what has become an impressively navigated offseason for Dallas. Landing the edge rusher at this point in the year would not only likely bring him in at a relative bargain price but he’d answer a big need on the Cowboys defense.
With Diggs coming in and some veterans at defensive tackle and safety, the ‘Boys should be set at most spots. Where they could struggle, however, is with depth at defensive end.
Dallas signed DeMarcus Lawrence to a massive extension last offseason and, though he didn’t produce in the box score, he played well and allowed Quinn to have a big year. With Quinn gone, though, the Cowboys must rely on the likes of Tyrone Crawford, Dorance Armstrong and fifth-round rookie Bradlee Anae. Clowney would obviously be a massive upgrade over any of those players.
For the Cowboys to be able to have a front seven comprised of Lawrence, Clowney, McCoy, Crawford or Dontari Poe, Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith and Sean Lee would give Dallas one of the most fearsome groups in the league. Even if the secondary took a step back while Diggs gets his feet wet, that group could make up for it.
Despite the fact that Clowney remains unsigned, that doesn’t appear to be because there isn’t a market for him. Furthermore, the free-agent pass-rusher recently said whichever team signed him would be getting the best version of the player. The Dallas Cowboys should ensure they’re the team that gets him. It would be one final splash move — aside from hopefully locking up Prescott to a long-term deal — to complete an unbelievable offseason.