Former No. 1 NFL Draft Pick Offers Strong Hint About Free Agency Intention
Jadeveon Clowney started his NFL career as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft by the Texans and has played with three other teams since. The free agent, who still trains in Houston, recently was asked whether he would consider returning to the franchise that drafted him.
“It would be nice to be here,” Clowney told Mark Berman of KRIV-TV. “All my family here, friends here. The guys I work out with can help me take care of my body a lot better being right up under them. That’s what I was thinking about. You never know what happens.”
The defensive end also added that his agent has spoken to the Texans and that he’s a “big fan” of new Houston coach DeMeco Ryans.
Former @HoustonTexans DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney, free agent after 2 seasons w/ @Browns,lives in Houston &works out at Fairchild Sports Performance.Asked about potential return to Texans: "It'd be nice-I'm a big fan of their new head coach" On Cleveland:"They got a good thing going" pic.twitter.com/7krxy0JxoW
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) May 20, 2023
Clowney spent the past two seasons with the Browns but was released in March. During the final days of the 2022 season in January, Cleveland sent Clowney home after he openly criticized the team and said there was a 95% chance he’d leave in free agency.
“I just feel like I need to be around somebody that believes in me and my ability,” Clowney said at the time. “[It can’t] just be me believing in myself. I believe in myself more than anybody.”
Clowney subsequently acknowledged the mistake, saying, “I apologized to who I had to apologize to for the way it came out.”