Jadeveon Clowney Returns to the Texans for 13th Season
Jadeveon Clowney is back where it all started, re-signing with the Houston Texans on a one-year, $5.5 million contract with incentives that could push his salary to $8 million.
Clowney, 33, never imagined he'd play for the Texans again when he was traded to Seattle amid a contract dispute before the 2019 season. However, after seven years and six teams, the defensive end is back with the team that picked him first overall in 2014.
The veteran player has changed a lot since his first stint with the Texans, citing his growth from a 21-year-old big kid to a mature player. "I'm grown," he said after his first workout with the Texans Tuesday. "I was a big kid at first when I first got here. I grew up different than a lot of these guys. When I was born, my dad was in jail. I grew up in a single-parent home. I grew up a lot different. … but coming back now, I'm a veteran in the locker room, a lot older, a lot smarter than I was before."
Clowney joins a defense that ranked among the best in the league in almost every category last season. The team has stars Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter as its starting defensive ends, but could use Clowney as a situational pass rusher after he had 8½ sacks for the Cowboys last season.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was asked about adding Clowney to a team that already has so much talent at defensive end. "The rich get richer," he said. "He's a great player. Excited to work with him."
Clowney signed with the Texans early in camp, a significant change from last season when he didn't get picked up by the Cowboys until Sept. 14. "It's going to be a lot different this year because I'm going to learn a playbook before the season starts," he said. "It's going to be a lot smoother season for me."
Clowney is looking forward to playing for his fearsome defense in what will be his 13th season. He loves the culture of the team, citing current coach DeMeco Ryans' ability to put great guys around him in coaches and create an energetic atmosphere. "He puts a lot of great guys around him in coaches and you can feel the energy and all the other guys can feel it," he said. "I know great things are going to happen here for me and the team. I'm just looking forward to the opportunity."
Source: Yahoo Sports