The Houston Texans are open to trading franchise-tagged defensive end Jadeveon Clowney for the right price, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Thursday.
The Texans tagged Clowney earlier this offseason, and various reports since have said the sides are not close to a long-term extension. They have until July 15 to agree to a new deal, or Clowney will play 2019 on the tag, which is worth $15.967 million.
General manager Brian Gaine told reporters last week that keeping Clowney around long-term is “still the plan.”
“You know, there’s a reason why we did that with every hope and intention to continuing to work on that,” Gaine said of using the franchise tag. “That’s a negotiation, it’s a process. It has to be a deal that makes sense for both sides, for the player, for the organization as it relates to short term and long term. That’s still the plan.”
Clowney, 26, has 18.5 sacks and 42 quarterback hits over the last two seasons.
He is likely seeking more than $20 million annually on a contract extension, after defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence and Frank Clark each exceeded that benchmark within the last month.
Clark, who was tagged by the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, got his contract from the Kansas City Chiefs after being traded by Seattle for first- and second-round picks earlier this week. He was the second franchise-tagged pass rusher to be dealt this offseason, as the Chiefs sent Dee Ford to the San Francisco 49ers for a second-round pick in March.
Drafted first overall by the Texans in 2014, Clowney missed 15 games to injury over his first two seasons but has played in 45 of a possible 48 since. He has 29 sacks and 67 QB hits in 62 career games.
