There have been talks of the Houston Texans trading defensive end Jadeveon Clowney as soon as they can convince him to sign his franchise tag, but there has been very little talk of what would happen if the Pro Bowl edge defender chose to stay in Houston instead of leave.
How soon could the Texans put Clowney on the field if that is the course of action?
For coach Bill O’Brien, it all comes down to the shape Clowney is in given he has missed all of the team’s offseason workouts, training camp, and the preseason.
“I think that’s all about the type of shape that he comes back in,” O’Brien told reporters Friday. “I know that he’s been working. In the conversations that I’ve had with him, he said that he’s in the best shape of his life.”
Clowney collected 9.0 sacks, 47 combined tackles, and 16 tackles for loss in 2018 en route to his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection. If the former 2014 No. 1 overall pick is indeed in the best shape of his life, then the 26-year-old could be poised to have a breakout season while playing on the franchise tag.
Nonetheless, the Texans have to put him through conditioning tests and determine.
“That seems to be the case and if he decides to come in and sign the tender, then we’d have to see that for ourselves,” O’Brien said. “But I really think that he’s been working.”
The Texans open the regular season at the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 9. Houston can use all the pass-rushing help they can get as they attempt to fluster quarterback Drew Brees and get the club’s first Week 1 win since 2016.
