NFL Insider Names Team He Thinks Is Frontrunner For Jadeveon Clowney

On the defensive side of the ball, Jadeveon Clowney remains the biggest name still on the NFL free agent market. The veteran defensive end seems to be in no rush to sign.

The major reason why Clowney remains unsigned seems to be contract-related. Because of Clowney’s injury history and lack of prodigious sack numbers, teams are hesitant to sign him long-term.

Eventually, someone will scoop up the 2014 No. 1 overall pick, and Yahoo’s Charles Robinson thinks it will be the Cleveland Browns. Robinson appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” this week and provided his reasoning for Cleveland being a fit.

“I still think it’s the Browns. I really do. I’ve been on this for a while,” he said. “They have a ton of cap space. They have Olivier Vernon, if they cut Olivier Vernon tomorrow, it’s $15 million cap space.”

Robinson added that Clowney’s camp “has known for a while that the Browns are interested.”

Interestingly, while Robinson said it is likely that Clowney will have to sign another one-year deal, there’s a chance the Browns could lock him in for longer than that.

“He’s still in a situation where he may need to sign a one-year, prove-it deal. But I think the Browns are interested in him longer term than that,” Robinson said. “And if he’s going to sign a reduced deal, I’m telling you right now that’s a one-year deal. He’s not going to take some contract where someone is going to pay him $14 million per year.”

Clowney appeared in 13 games last season for the Seattle Seahawks, making 11 starts. He compiled 31 tackles, three sacks and returned a fumble and an interception for a touchdown.