The Baltimore Ravens are still making improvements before the start of the 2023 NFL regular season. The team’s former No. 1 of the year Jadeveon Clowney reportedly signed to a one-year deal on Friday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Clooney, 30, has spent the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
After being selected by the Houston Texans with the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Clooney excelled early in his career. In five seasons with the team, he made three Pro Bowls and was named to the Second Team All-Pro in 2016. Clowney had 29 sacks with the team.
Clowney was traded to the Seattle Seahawks before the start of the 2019 NFL season. He only recorded three sacks in 13 games before entering free agency. He spent one injury-plagued season with the Tennessee Titans before signing with the Browns. After carrying nine sacks with Cleveland in 2021, Clooney tallied two sacks in 2022. Near the end of the season, Clooney publicly ripped the team up. He did not participate in the team’s final regular season game due to those comments.
Jadeveon Clowney should bolster the already strong Ravens defense
The Ravens don’t need Clowney to perform like a superstar in 2023. The team finished third in points against them in 2022, earning just 18.5 points per game. The Ravens also tied for fifth in the NFL with 48 sacks in 2022.
However, the team lost both Justin Houston and Calais Campbell in the offseason. Houston led Baltimore by nine and a half sacks last season. Campbell is tied for second with five and a half sacks in 2022. It’s likely that Clooney signed to make up for those losses with the proviso that he could still harass the opposing quarterback.