Former Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney apparently is interested in reuniting with his old team.
That is at least what the unrestricted free agent pass rusher has told Fox 26 and Sports Illustrated in recent days. Clowney, the Texans’ No.1 overall pick out of South Carolina in 2014, still resides in Houston and is training here despite spending the last four seasons playing in other cities.
“It would be nice,” Clowney said to Fox 26 about his desire to play in Houston again. “My family is here. Friends here. The guys I work out with can help me take care of my body a lot better being right up under them.”
When asked this week by reporters about the possibility of signing Clowney, new Texans coach DeMeco Ryans seemed a bit non-committal about bringing the pass rush specialist aboard. But he didn’t say no, either.
“We always look at any players that can help us win,” Ryans said. “We’ll explore all options. I’ll never throw anyone off the table. Everything is an option for me.”
Clowney says he likes the direction the team is heading under Ryans and feels like he can definitely contribute to the success of the Texans’ rebuilding defensive line. Clowney’s interest is so real that he admits his team has already reached out to the Texans.
“They have put some pieces together,” Clowney said in a Sports Illustrated article. “I am a big fan of their new head coach. And they have some guys up front who I think can go. It is going to be big to see what they will do this year. And I am looking forward to it.”
Clowney spent the first five seasons of his career in Houston, recording 205 tackles, 109 quarterback hits, 43 sacks and 13 forced fumbles. But since he was traded to Seattle by former coach/general manager Bill O’Brien after a contract dispute, Clowney hasn’t found much success with the Seahawks, Tennessee Titans or Cleveland Browns.
He spent one season in both Seattle and Tennessee before spending the last seasons in Cleveland. At the end of last season, the Browns made Clowney inactive for the final game after he complained in the media about his role on the defense.
Clowney is an unrestricted free agent and remains unsigned at this point.
