Should the Rams sign free agent Clowney of the Ravens?
The Los Angeles Rams have money to spend now, unlike when they started their roster “remodeling” process last offseason and had to let go of some of their great players on large contracts, absorbing over $70 million in dead cap. Pro Football Focus recommends using the money to acquire Jadeveon Clowney, an edge rusher for the Baltimore Ravens and a previous first overall pick in the NFL Draft.
The 30-year-old South Carolina-bred pass rusher would be a valuable addition to the Rams’ defensive line. Even though they kept Aaron Donald, a star defensive lineman, as one of their roster’s “pillars,” the “remodel” completely destroyed the Rams’ defensive depth.
Leonard Floyd, their once-statistically dominant pass-rusher, was cut, while other key players like A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines left in free agency. After losing Donald, the Rams’ once-winning defensive line was all that remained. They had to rely on rookies like Byron Young and Kobie Turner to make up for the loss of performance.
Adding a veteran like Clowney can’t hurt, even though Turner and Young outperformed expectations in their rookie seasons, totaling 17 sacks between them. Clowney, who has nine years of experience in the NFL, is coming off one of his greatest seasons despite never living up to his draft status. The 30-year-old recorded 43 tackles—nine of which were for a loss—9.5 sacks—tying his career high—and 19 quarterback hits.
“Clowney enjoyed a career year with Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald dialing things up for him, deploying simulated pressures and exotic blitzes out of various fronts,” PFF reports on Clowney. “It seems Clowney will probably ride out the rest of his career on successive one-year deals that fluctuate based on his production the year prior, and he certainly earned himself a raise this season.” The Rams can easily afford Clowney’s estimated one-year deal worth $9 million by PFF, since OverTheCap projects that the team will have over $27 million in cap space available this offseason.
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