With training camp nearly wrapped up, the New Orleans Saints have been working hard to make one big splash before the start of the regular season: a deal with free agent pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney. While Saints coach Sean Payton has reportedly been involved in several conversations with Clowney, the Saints have had to contend with rival offers from other teams like the Tennessee Titans.
On Friday, ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported that the Saints stepped up their efforts by sending a coach to Houston, where Clowney has lived since being picked first overall by the Texans back in 2014. The hope is that a one-on-one pitch could be what it takes to push this recruiting effort over the finish line. This follows an earlier report that players and coaches from the Saints and Titans had been reaching out to Clowney privately to try and win him over.
It’s unclear which member of the coaching staff is making the trip; if it were Payton himself, that would have probably been indicated in the report. Other options may be defensive coordinator Dennis Allen or well-respected line coach Ryan Nielsen, who worked as North Carolina State’s recruiting coordinator before joining the Saints.
The Saints are holding their final training camp practice session on Friday, so the coach’s absence could be noted by media on the scene. While driving can take more than five hours, flights from New Orleans to Houston average about 75 minutes, so it’s just as possible that the Saints could have all hands on deck for practice before this brief business trip.
It’s a bold move, and we’ll just have to wait and see if it pays off. Stay tuned.
