*The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the 2020 offseason with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents, which should make for another busy spring and summer for Pete Carroll and John Schneider as they look to shore up the roster and contend for the number one seed in the NFC again next year.*
Our free agent series continues with a look at defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
When the Seahawks traded for star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney just before the start of the 2019 season, it was always known it could be just a one-year partnership between both sides.
After all, Clowney insisted his new contract with Seattle include a clause preventing them from placing a franchise tag on him this offseason, clearing the way for him to enter free agency ahead of his age-27 season.
Clowney’s numbers last year for the Seahawks may look relatively tame, with his 31 combined tackles, seven for loss, and three sacks all representing career lows outside of his rookie season when he only appeared in four games.
However, Clowney still had a huge impact on this Seattle defense, often drawing double teams that freed up other players while also proving himself a menace in both the running and passing game, and earning admiration from his teammates for playing big chunks of the season through a sports hernia injury, for which he is expected to get surgery very shortly.
The surgery isn’t expected to prohibit Seattle from signing him, but the price tag will be the big kicker. Clowney will almost certainly look for a record-breaking multi-year deal, and while the Seahawks have the cap space to get it done, they may try to spread out their money instead, heading into 2020.
Clowney’s free agency will be a big hinge for how the next few seasons go in the Emerald City.
