Jadeveon Clowney's annual wait-and-see approach to free agency has paired him with a new team.
The Baltimore Ravens announced on Friday they have reached a deal with Clowney. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports that Clowney's deal is for one year and worth up to $6 million.
Baltimore becomes the fifth team for which the former first-overall pick has played in his nine-year career. Clowney isn't going far, staying in the AFC North after spending the last two seasons in Cleveland.
The 30-year-old produced a positive return for the Browns in his first season with the team, recording nine sacks, 11 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. His second year with the Browns, however, did not go nearly as well, with Clowney finishing with just two sacks in 12 games played before his critical comments regarding the team's defensive staff led to him finishing the season inactive and being released in March.
Clowney joins the Ravens to do one thing: Pressure the quarterback. After Baltimore lost the wrecking ball known as Calais Campbell in free agency, they've carried a need for a veteran capable of making a difference on passing downs while playing alongside younger rushers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo. Clowney should fill such a void, which gained importance after a number of Ravens defensive backs suffered injuries of varying severity during camp.
Clowney's pairing with the Ravens marks the fourth-straight year in which he's signed a one-year deal with a team, but it isn't the latest in the year in which he's done so. Clowney's first free-agent deal (signed with Tennessee) came in early September of 2020. He'd later sign one-year deals with Cleveland in April of 2021 and May of 2022.
This time around, he's putting pen to paper in mid-August -- just enough time to get up to speed before the start of the regular season.
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