NFC South squad to meet with veteran pass-rusher

It took Clowney until mid-August to land a deal last year and the former No. 1 overall pick’s Baltimore pact was worth only $2.5M. After another bounce-back season, the South Carolina alum can aim higher. Clowney has never secured a long-term deal since the expiration of his Texans rookie contract, but he has done well for himself on this bevy of one-year agreements. Though, the edge-defender has never come especially close to the kind of top-market contract that once seemed in play while he was in Houston.

En route to a No. 1 defensive ranking, the Ravens received Clowney’s top sack season. Known more for an all-around game, Clowney has never reached double-digit sacks in a season. His three Pro Bowls came back in Houston. But the once-elite prospect has four seasons with at least nine sacks on his resume.

Injury issues and inconsistency have impeded Clowney on the contract front, as he was not especially productive in Seattle, Tennessee or during his second year in Cleveland. But he did total nine sacks opposite Myles Garrett in 2021 while helping a previously edge-deficient Ravens team thrive – opposite September addition Kyle Van Noy – last season. Clowney totaled 19 QB hits for the second time in three years.

The Panthers made a rather surprising decision to accept second- and fifth-round picks from the Giants to wrap their years-long Brian Burns saga. That tag-and-trade transaction leaves the Panthers with next to nothing at edge-rusher, with former second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos agreeing to a two-year, $18M 49ers deal as well. Clowney would help, though the move would remind – to a degree, at least – of last year’s Justin Houston stopgap addition.

Mentioned as being interested in retaining Clowney earlier this week, the Ravens are again in need on the edge. Their most recent band-aid pass rushers – Clowney and Van Noy – are both free agents. While Baltimore extended Justin Madubuike on a deal that set up the big-ticket Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins contracts, the team needs to fill out its outside linebacker depth chart once again.