{"id":217614,"date":"2025-09-11T07:33:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T07:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/217614\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T07:33:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T07:33:09","slug":"evaluating-jadeveon-clowneys-fit-with-cowboys-as-veteran-de-takes-visit-with-dallas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/217614\/","title":{"rendered":"Evaluating Jadeveon Clowney\u2019s fit with Cowboys as veteran DE takes visit with Dallas"},"content":{"rendered":"

FRISCO \u2014 On Wednesday afternoon, under a clear blue sky, Jadeveon Clowney stood outside the running back\/quarterback room with pro scout Josh Brent, watching Cowboys practice unfold beneath them.<\/p>\n

Nobody knows what the conversation was about, but Clowney\u2019s presence as a free agent pass rusher at The Star spoke loudly.<\/p>\n

Clowney visited The Star to take a physical<\/a>, say hi to a few people and think about playing again. Clowney left late Wednesday afternoon without a contract, but it doesn\u2019t mean the Cowboys can\u2019t secure one in the near future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guy is a really good football player, he\u2019s missed playing the game a little bit,\u201d coach Brian Schottenheimer said. \u201cThe film obviously looks good and we\u2019re always in the business of seeing what\u2019s out there and keeping an eye on all good football players. I would say the personal relationship (Seattle in 2019) I have with him and the problems he can create both in the run and the pass is the main reason why he\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Cowboys stress their pass rush is fine after recording one sack and five quarterback hits in the season-opening loss to the Eagles.<\/p>\n

For the majority of the game, the Cowboys played zone defense and didn\u2019t start blitzing until the second half. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was pressured 11 times in the second half after it happened just three times in the opening 30 minutes. <\/p>\n

You can make stats mean anything in sports. Here\u2019s one: 1-4. That\u2019s the record of the Cowboys with Micah Parsons not on the field.<\/p>\n

The man Dallas sent to Green Bay for a pair of first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark<\/a>, had one sack and three quarterback pressures in 30 snaps in Week 1. <\/p>\n

The world isn\u2019t ending with Parsons being employed in Green Bay, yet, what\u2019s left of this Cowboys pass rush is under scrutiny. <\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t a player that matches what Parsons brings to a team. Few teams employ a player of Parsons\u2019 talent, however, the Cowboys invested three second-round picks on pass rushers in the last two drafts. <\/p>\n

The team also re-acquired Dante Fowler in free agency<\/a> and has an undrafted free agent, James Houston<\/a>, on the roster as a rising talent.<\/p>\n

Signing Clowney, 32, would bring veteran leadership and experience to a pass rush group with an average age of 25.8.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019d be a great addition to our young core,\u201d guard Tyler Smith said. \u201cI think that experience is invaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith said he spoke with Clowney before practice and noted, \u201che still has some juice.\u201d The two joked about how big Smith hands are and the Cowboys\u2019 best offensive lineman said he saw a few social media posts of Clowney chasing down receiver CeeDee Lamb when the teams met last season.<\/p>\n

And speaking of last season, Clowney played for his sixth NFL team in the Carolina Panthers. In 11 NFL seasons, Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick by Houston, has been named to three Pro Bowls. He\u2019s compiled 58 sacks and 139 quarterback hits. <\/p>\n

In 2024, Clowney signed a two-year deal worth $20 million but was let go this spring. Before he signed with the Panthers, the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens expressed interest in his services. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s unknown what Clowney is going to do now as the Cowboys continue to look for talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something, again, we\u2019ve been monitoring, we deal with every position,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cAgain, I feel great about our defensive line depth. But anytime you have a chance to potentially add good football players you kick the tires.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last season, the Cowboys recorded 52 sacks, one of three defenses to have 50-plus sacks. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, there have been 13 teams in league history with 50-plus sacks seasons to lose their sack leader the next season. All 13 teams saw their sack totals decrease the next season, averaging 37.5.<\/p>\n

The Cowboys can use Clowney not so much to replace Parsons, but to provide more firepower when needed. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s value in being a vet and value in the experience that they have and some of the technique stuff that they\u2019ve learned over the years,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s funny talking to Jadeveon, I was asking him, \u2018Okay what\u2019s your go to move?\u2019 So he was sharing some of his secrets and just to hear these guys that are vets talk about in detail, like the different moves, the swim, the long arm and stuff like that, it\u2019s fascinating.\u201d<\/p>\n