“The return of the killer!” Jadeveon Clowney, who was born in Carolina, motivated to make an impact for Panthers following his ‘Kobe Bryant’ year

Jadeveon Clowney signed a two-year contract worth $20 million with the Panthers on Wednesday.

“The return of the killer!” Jadeveon Clowney, who was born in Carolina, motivated to make an impact for Panthers following his ‘Kobe Bryant’ year

Jadeveon Clowney (Via SI)

After starting his NFL journey with the Houston Texans in 2014, Jadeveon Clowney explored several teams across the league including the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and most recently Baltimore Ravens. After a decade-long wait, the linebacker finally made his way to home— Carolina Panthers. 

Coming off a season, that is promptly considered his ‘Kobe Bryant’ year for logging tying his career-high 9.5 sacks with the Ravens, Clowney signed with his home team, the Panthers, earlier this month. As the South Carolina native returned home, the three-time Pro Bowl is highly motivated to make an impact as he hits the field next season. 

Clowney attended a Zoom Call meeting on Friday:

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I tell people all the time if I play in 16, 17 games, it's going to look like a Pro Bowl season. That's all I got to do, is just be out there playing. I know I can make the plays no matter what team I'm on. I've just got to be available and take care of myself. The older I get the more I figure out how to stay healthier.
Jadeveon Clowney said on the Zoom Call

The last time when the star linebacker recorded his first career-high 9.5 sacks was with the Texans in 2017. That was also the last time before the 2023 season when Clowney played a full season without sustaining any injury. 

How is Jadeveon Clowney a calculated risk for the Panthers?

As per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the edge-rusher Clowney signed a two-year contract worth $20 million with the Panthers on Wednesday, which can maximized up to $24 million. Even though Carolina does not have the talents equivalent to the Ravens, they are counting on the South Carolina product to carry out the 2024 season without an injury like he did in 2023. 

Although there’s no denying that this offseason move is a risky proposition for the Panthers, it does have the potential to be worth every penny spent. The franchise is working on rejuvenating itself into contenders, after years of failure in the league due to mismanagement. 

Former Ravens linebacker Jadeveon Clowney
Former Ravens linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (Via The Seattle Times)

For Clowney to become a viable pass-rusher in the Panthers, who can be an asset to the quarterback, the Panthers need their defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to take the lead. If he successfully taps into the linebacker’s innate talent, Clowney can be one of the most significant free-agent steals, with his consistent on-field performance.

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