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Titans announce 1-year deal with OLB Jadeveon Clowney

The Tennessee Titans announced Sunday they agreed to terms with the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker on a one-year contract.
Jan 7, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) in action against the Oakland Raiders during the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jadeveon Clowney made clear for months he wanted to be with a team that can win a Super Bowl, and he’s finally made his choice even if he didn’t get the long-term deal in the process.

The Tennessee Titans announced Sunday they agreed to terms with the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker on a one-year contract. The Titans did not announce the terms Sunday. But ESPN.com reported the deal could be worth up to $15 million.

The Titans also shared on Twitter photos of Clowney next to a plane with controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk.

The No. 1 overall pick of 2014, Clowney went into free agency looking for a mega-contract that never came calling. The pandemic shut down travel for physicals, and Clowney didn’t visit anyone once the NFL allowed free agents to meet teams in person. 

That was despite having reported interest from Seattle, Tennessee, Cleveland, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New Orleans. 

The Titans never hid their interest in the 6-foot-5, 255-pound Clowney.

On Thursday, several players started lobbying the pass rusher on Twitter, including three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan, who noted Clowney’s big bowl highlight at Lewan’s expense with Michigan. Lewan wrote Thursday: “We can do this to other people’s teams now.”

“We have an offer out to JD, and we’ve talked to both him and his agent,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Friday when talking to reporters.

Now Clowney joins a team that lost the AFC championship game in January and the coach whom the linebacker had his best season with when Vrabel was Houston’s defensive coordinator in 2017.

He joins a defensive front featuring linemen Jeffery Simmons and DaQuan Jones and outside linebackers Harold Landry III and Vic Beasley Jr., the Titans’ other big free agent signee. The Titans already re-signed quarterback Ryan Tannehill and NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry to new contracts earlier this year.

Asked Friday how Clowney would fit in with the Titans, Vrabel said they ask and target players who love football, play with great effort and put the team first.

“I don’t think it’s too hard to function here and to be a great teammate,” Vrabel said.

Clowney still must pass through the testing protocol before he can join the Titans inside their building or on the field. But Tennessee has an extra day before playing the final game of Week 1 at Denver on Sept. 14.

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