Jadeveon Clowney to Titans shifts power to Tennessee in the AFC South

Jadeveon Clowney is signing with the Tennessee Titans for the 2020 season.

Jadeveon Clowney was considered one of the best players available in 2020 NFL free agency yet, after months of opportunity and with just one week until the regular season kicked off, he remained unsigned. But in the 11th hour, the Tennessee Titans have rectified that, making a big-time move on cutdown day.

First reported by ESPN’s Dianna Russini, the Titans are signing the No. 1 overall pick from the 2014 NFL Draft. The details of the contract are not yet reported by Tennessee reunites Clowney with head coach Mike Vrabel, who was on the coaching staff in Houston with the edge rusher for three years earlier in his career.

After five seasons with the Texans, Clowney was traded to the Seattle Seahawks last year on the franchise tag and had a bit of a paltry season, producing just 3.0 sacks and seven tackles for loss, the lowest totals of his last five years. Even still, his elite athleticism and talent made him a highly coveted commodity, which Tennessee now adds to their defensive front.

The Titans made it to the AFC Championship Game last season, knocking off the Patriots and Ravens before falling to the eventual-champion Chiefs. Yet, many people were expecting regression from Tennessee in the 2020 season. With Clowney in the fold, that may be less of a concern than it was before.

The Titans are AFC South favorites with Jadeveon Clowney on the roster.

The AFC South should be one of the closest divisional races in the NFL in the 2020 season. Despite trading away DeAndre Hopkins, Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans are a perennial contender to win the division. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts have a well-built roster that they supplemented with veteran quarterback Philip Rivers in free agency, giving them enticing upside.

Tennessee, however, remained in the mix off of their AFC title game run. Yes, it’s hard to expect Ryan Tannehill to be as good as he was a season ago or for Derrick Henry to play 16 games like he did his postseason run. Having said that, they are still a team constructed with a clear plan on offense that has proven effective, especially with Tannehill’s style of play.

Where the question remained was on defense. With the departure of Logan Ryan and trading away Jurrell Casey, there was rightful concern that the defense might take a step back. Clowney, however, gives this unit the opportunity to actually take a step forward.

Clowney will likely line up as a starting outside linebacker with Harold Landry, an underrated young pass-rusher who could be due for a breakout campaign now. Furthermore, second-year defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons shined when he got on the field after recovering from an offseason injury and could be a stud on the interior. Meanwhile, the inside linebackers and secondary are both quality and young, meaning there’s upside even with Ryan gone.

The Titans landing Jadeveon Clowney doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to run away with the AFC South — still expect the division to be tightly contested. But as it was difficult to pick a favorite in the division previously, this signing makes Tennessee the obvious choice in that respect.