Baltimore Ravens edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney has been battling narratives for a decade. The Houston Texans made Clowney the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. The discourse that comes with such a high-profile pick was inevitable, and when his sack production fell short of lofty, if not unattainable, standards, he was labeled a bust.
Having played a decade in the league as an elite run-defending edge rusher, it’s safe to say that isn’t the case. He’s logged over 50 sacks and been one of the more consistent defenders in football, even if it doesn’t come in the shape some expected it to.
Clowney was thought to be washed after a sack-less 2020 campaign. Once again, he persevered, logging 20.5 sacks in the next three seasons.
This time around, he’s dealing with the buzz that comes with a revenge game. Houston unceremoniously traded Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks for a third-round pick and two replaceable veterans. He’ll have a chance to return the favor on Saturday.
His Ravens play host to a promising Texans team in the AFC Divisional Round this weekend. Baltimore, as nearly double-digit favorites, is expected to send Houston home. Clowney, though, isn’t focused on getting back at an organization that shipped him away.
“To me, it’s the next game up,” Clowney said. “I just want to win, because it’s the playoffs. It’s bigger than just worrying about the Texans. There is much more at stake. It’s either win or go home. And we want to get away with this win, so we can keep fighting for the goal we’ve been fighting for all year.
“What you do all of this for is to try to get to that Super Bowl and win it.”
Clowney’s free-agent market wasn’t particularly exciting. He signed with the Ravens in August for a deal worth up to $2.5 million.
All he’s done since then is prove Baltimore right. He’s logged 9.5 sacks on 71 pressures. He’s having the second-best year of his career – by Pro Football Focus’ grading – and ranks 14th amongst qualified edge rushers by that same mark.
Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has put him in positions to win, and the damage has followed suit. Now, he’s a legitimate threat to the team that drafted him 10 years ago. Limiting his damage, while allocating enough resources to the rest of Baltimore’s weapons, will be an arduous task for offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.
