NFL Free Agency News

Panthers Bolster Pass Rush with Veteran Clowney – Edge rusher, Jadeveon Clowney, in a career resurgence, re-established his value with the Baltimore Ravens, and the Carolina Panthers took notice and are paying up.

The Panthers confirmed Wednesday they are signing the veteran linebacker in free agency, with NFL Network’s insider Ian Rapoport reporting the deal to be for two years and $20 million with a maximum value of $24 million with incentives.

Clowney is a South Carolina native and will now play approximately 25 miles from his hometown of Rock Hill, where he was a standout at South Pointe High School. He also attended the University of South Carolina, about an hour and a half south of Charlotte.

Back in August 2023, Clowney was inking a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Ravens after a free agency that extended into training camp. The former No. 1 overall pick by the Houston Texans in 2014, was coming off one of the worst seasons of his career with just 28 tackles and two sacks in 12 games for the Cleveland Browns.

At age 30, Clowney’s future was up in the air at best. He went on to prove that he was not done by a long shot over the coming months as a crucial part of an elite Ravens front seven, tying a career-high in sacks while continuing to be a strong run-stuffer. Pro Football Focus rated him as the No. 19 edge defender out of 112 in the NFL.

The Ravens, who have felt the sting of free agency this offseason due to a lack of cap space, were interested in running it back with Clowney. The feeling was apparently mutual, according to head coach John Harbaugh.

“I just ran into the agent for Jadeveon Clowney,” Harbaugh told baltimoreravens.com’s Garrett Downing in an interview at the combine in Indianapolis. “Just walking in the street and he grabbed me and I said, I told him I loved him. I [asked], ‘What do you think? How’d he do this year?’ And he goes, ‘This is the first year he’s ended the season happy.’ That says so much right there. It says so much for everything, for everybody in the organization. Maybe we can get him back. We’re going to try.”

Instead, Clowney choose to head home and be handsomely-compensated while doing so. He joins a Panthers team coming off a disappointing first season with last year’s top overall pick, quarterback Bryce Young.

The Panthers hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales to replace the fired Frank Reich, with Ejiro Evero remaining on the staff as defensive coordinator. The organization has been busy on the player side as well, acquiring wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, guard Robert Hunt, guard Damien Lewis, linebacker Josey Jewell and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.

And…

Ex-Bills CB White to Sign with Rams – Tre’Davious White has landed in his new home, which is the second of his NFL career.

The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback is signing with the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year, $8.5 million deal that can be worth up to $10 million, NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday, according to a source.

It is a big-name signing for the Rams as they look to rebuild their defensive framework in the aftermath of Aaron Donald’s stunning retirement after 10 years in the league, and it is also an opportunity for White to restart his once-promising career.

The 29-year-old White started out with the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and finished runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting. He would lead the NFL with six interceptions in 2019, his only All-Pro campaign and first Pro Bowl season, and would be selected to the Pro Bowl again the following year with another three picks.

He was durable, playing 61 games over the course of his first four seasons.

Then injuries struck. Eleven games into 2021, White tore his ACL on Thanksgiving. He attacked his rehab, working his way back to appear in six regular-season games in 2022, then received another devastating blow when he sustained a torn Achilles four games into 2023.

The rash of injuries led White to take the gridiron in just 21 games over the past three years, certainly a victim of circumstances when he became a cap casualty in a wave of cuts by the Bills in early March.

Now his comeback will begin again in the ‘City of Angels, Los Angeles, where he joins Cobie Durant and the newly signed Darious Williams in a secondary that ranked 20th in passing yards allowed last season.

White has a knack for locating the ball, accumulating 18 career interceptions, with 63 passes defensed, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown on top of that. His superior talent has never been in question. It has been his recent injury history that has stunted his growth to some degree.

With any luck, he will get back on track with the Rams in 2024.