Amos Morale III, Joseph Particular person and Randy Mueller
The Carolina Panthers are signing defensive finish Jadeveon Clowney, the crew introduced Wednesday. The deal is for 2 years, $20 million and value as much as $24 million, in line with a league supply.
Clowney spent this previous season with the Baltimore Ravens the place he logged a career-high 9.5 sacks together with two pressured fumbles and 5 passes defended.
The 31-year-old has tallied 52.5 sacks and earned three Professional Bowl nods throughout his 11 NFL seasons.
The Panthers had been in search of assistance on the defensive position after buying and selling Professional Bowl cross rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants earlier this month in alternate for the No. 39 general choose within the 2024 NFL Draft and a 2025 fifth-round choose. The Panthers can even have an extra fifth-round choose swap with the Giants.
Why the Panthers wanted Clowney
After failing to get an extension achieved with Burns and buying and selling him to the Giants, the Panthers’ depth chart at edge rusher was slightly bleak. Sure, they added D.J. Wonnum in free company, however defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero wanted a confirmed cross rusher for his 3-4 scheme. The Panthers bought one in Clowney, the No. 1 choose in 2014, who matched his profession excessive with 9.5 sacks final season in Baltimore throughout his age-30 season. The Panthers had a top-five protection final 12 months beneath Evero, however they had been final within the league with 27 sacks. That figures to vary with the addition of Clowney. — Joe Particular person, Panthers workers author
GO DEEPER
Jadeveon Clowney’s homecoming: Panthers get the sting rusher they wanted
Why Clowney wanted the Panthers
Clowney grew up a few half-hour from Charlotte in the highschool soccer hotbed of Rock Hill, S.C., which has additionally produced NFL gamers corresponding to Ben Watson and Stephon Gilmore, who had been a few years forward of Clowney at South Pointe Excessive. The Ravens and Jets additionally had been concerned with Clowney. However the Panthers’ sturdy provide and the prospect to play near his household had been huge elements. Clowney informed CBS Sports activities’ Josina Anderson that current losses in his household and his grandfather’s advancing age had been among the many causes he’s comfortable to be returning house. — Particular person
Clowney’s slot in Carolina
Clowney offers the Panthers a flexible piece as he can line up in a number of methods. His capability to place his hand on the bottom or play from a two-point stance provides deception with out altering personnel. He isn’t as sudden or athletic as Burns, Carolina’s franchise participant who was later traded to the Giants, however he is perhaps a bit stronger on the level of assault versus the run.
The Panthers hope to get the 2023 model of the much-traveled Clowney. Becoming a member of his sixth NFL crew however nonetheless solely 31 years previous, he nonetheless has expertise and potential to be unlocked, at a really sought-after and impactful place. A lot of any edge participant’s manufacturing is about his match inside a scheme. Clowney’s cross rush toolbox by no means confirmed up persistently till he discovered a house in Mike Macdonald’s protection with the Ravens in 2023, when he tied a profession excessive with 9 1/1 sacks. — Randy Mueller, NFL workers author
Required studying
(Photograph: Robin Alam / ISI Pictures / Getty Photographs)
