Jadeveon Clowney & The Bucs
February 13th, 2026
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
It feels like every year the Bucs need an edge rusher and pass on free agent Jadeveon Clowney, who has played for four teams over the past four seasons while compiling 25 1/2 sacks.
Clowney had 8 1/2 sacks for Dallas last year on a Dollar Tree contract. The 2014 No. 1 overall pick in the draft turns 33 tomorrow. And yes, he’s a pending free agent.
Joe has doubts that Clowney falls into Tampa Bay’s “I Am That Man” profile for players worthy of wearing pewter and red, though Joe suspects Haason Reddick and Randy Gregory didn’t, either. So perhaps the Bucs’ front office has an exception clause for edge rushers?
It’s safe to say that Clowney represents an affordable upgrade for a team seeking a situational pass rusher, but Joe is confident the Bucs will look elsewhere.
The free agency dinner bell rings at noon on Monday, March 9.
February 13th, 2026 at 10:20 am
Clowney has been an underachiever for years. He isn’t going to change now. Pass.
February 13th, 2026 at 10:31 am
Classy vet..Good price for 8-10 sacks ,throw in a couple more hits on the QB .. Im down joe! Beggers cant be chosers
February 13th, 2026 at 10:34 am
Had 10 sacks with Baltimore a few years back
February 13th, 2026 at 10:39 am
Sign him. Sign everyone. Sign anyone. It will be an upgrade.
February 13th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Two days ago Joe writes a column outlining the need for youth, citing our aging players.
33 years old is NOT YOUTH!
February 13th, 2026 at 10:44 am
We’re gonna bring Joe Tryon & Adrian Clayborn back & then according to them THEY’RE GONNA SHOCK EVERYONE.
February 13th, 2026 at 10:55 am
GenocideD you are correct, sign anybody , the Bar isnt that high. But make sure o I r Defensive Genius HC / DC can cover receivers
February 13th, 2026 at 10:58 am
I’m all for bringing in a vet pass rusher with no risk. No risk meaning a one year deal with solid upside or a mid round trade for a younger player that has been a part time player sitting behind someone else, that shows promise.
But we also have to draft one early. Day one or day 2.
Absolutely no giving up tons of draft capital for max crosby or signing an over 30 year old to a multi year deal, or a player that’s a rotational player for tons of money.
The cap is in a good place and will get better next year with a stacked draft class.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:07 am
Clowney YES perfect for this team, Only better if a player named KuKu.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:15 am
Desperation…
We have seen this movie before
Fools Gold
This roster is not one or two big names away.
Not go chasing has beens!
You have to be a Super Bowl contender to get the top Free Agents
Gesssh… don’t you know the script by now?
February 13th, 2026 at 11:15 am
And what would that be, quitting on your team halfway through the season? Maybe, playing just hard enough, keeping your head low, never looking straight (threateningly) into Licht’s eyes, and smile a lot so you can get that early contract before proving anything, and then quickly go on IR (or just miss a month of play)
February 13th, 2026 at 11:15 am
Rent him for a year and send him home if he doesn’t. Other teams are finding edge rushers in the draft. Look at successful teams drafting them and follow what they have done. The NFL is a copy cat business…Just do it.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:15 am
Is there an award for collecting the most AARP eligible defensive linemen on one roster? Clowney, Von Miller, JPP….Simeon Rice maybe?
Is there a discount rate when you order 3+ items?
February 13th, 2026 at 11:20 am
Your right Joe he has been on the market for years. He can’t drop back in pass coverage. That’s it guys. The Head guru’s defense of staff will not test him, hence his hires. Ohh well🤣🤣🤙🏾
February 13th, 2026 at 11:21 am
First, Aldon Smith.
Then, Hassan Reddick.
Now? Clowney?
No thanks!
He is a diva and a cancer. I would never want him in our locker room.
Hendrickson? Yes!
Mad Maxx Crosby? Yes!
JPP? Still yes! Also at DT and DE. Not only OLB. He’s a Swiss Army knife.
Clowney? Never!
Dream Scenario?
Myles Garrett to replace Hall at DE.
Maxx Crosby to replace Reddick.
And let’s win a Super Bowl!
Screw the “salary cap”
Go Bucs!
February 13th, 2026 at 11:25 am
No…
We need to stop trying to fix the EDGE position with scotch tape & projects. We need a serious EGDE1.
I do like YaYa but so far hes not as dominant as we need. I think he will be a great complementary player, and if he ends up being more than that its a huge bonus. Whether its Crosby or someone else we need a heavy hitter at this position
February 13th, 2026 at 11:26 am
Well Joe this rings of desperration. I would not call this a splash for sure. Is he an upgrade, lol, well, of course, just about anyone would be at this stage. However, we need a real edge rusher, not some one who is a gamble. If no one else can be obtained,sure, why not as I said almost anyone would be better than what we have. However, Clowney to me would be a thin band aid with no further protection available. That is scary
February 13th, 2026 at 11:35 am
Haven’t we tried the “mercenary” route? How did that work out for us?
February 13th, 2026 at 11:49 am
F it.
Let’s just sign Lawrence Taylor.
February 13th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Why not just draft/UDFA sign his little cousin, Demon?
February 13th, 2026 at 11:50 am
Crosby will take a boat load of money! And all those draft picks teacherman runs his mouth about. Hendrickson has been banged up recently hell take a boatload also.Clowney and the draft..Just sayn
February 13th, 2026 at 12:12 pm
It funny that when TB12 was in Tampa , Jason slung cash for Suh, Fournette, Gronk, Antonio Brown, Sherman, Julio Jones. Now that Baker is QB, he’s back to slinging Pennie’s in the waiver wire
February 13th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
ChiBuc – that was funny.
On defense that profile certainly isn’t ‘play hard for my head coach’ whom they supposedly love.
It’s probably why they love him.
February 13th, 2026 at 12:37 pm
Another over the hill rusher. Bucs need to get younger, not older at DE and LB.
February 13th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
Those wanting Clowney are complete clowns. Thank you for outting yourselves.
Teacherman…. you may be right about Clowney… you are definitely right. It happens every-once-in-a-while…. but we never signed Aldon Smith… it was Randy Gregory… and Myles Garrett to replace Hall at DE? Hall played DT, he rarely lined up as an edge rusher. And Crosby to replace Reddick… so just flush our next two years of first round picks AND pay him top of the line free agent money… how do you fail to see the error in your logic? That’s paying twice for an injured player nearing the end of his prime. How did that work with Revis? It never works. Again… I’ve been a certified teacher for 25 years now, you’re giving us a bad name.
February 13th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
Bring him in on vet minimum. We need every pass rusher we can lay our hands on.
February 13th, 2026 at 1:39 pm
We need to draft one, sign one of the top FA’s and grab 1 or 2 of the old timers. One of them might actually pan out for us.
February 13th, 2026 at 1:58 pm
If Jason signs Clowney or Maxx Crosby, Crosby and Clowney will fail. If Crosby and Clowney sign elsewhere they will succeed. Why? Todd’s defense ruins players on the way up (rookie and first year players) or down (ten year vets). Todd’s defense confuses his own players more than the opposing offenses. Remember Vita Vea covering a tight end and Hassan Reddick, Yaya Diaby and Anthony Nelson covering a wide receiver. It’s a fun defense for back yard football by giving a big lumbering defensive players a chance at glory but not for the NFL.
February 13th, 2026 at 2:01 pm
This is nonsense, don’t settle for someone like Clowney. What Licht needs to do is get a deal done for Garrett and Crosby – if he’s as smart as I am and understands football as well as I do, he can get both for no more than a couple of 3rd round picks. If Licht doesn’t do this, it just proves he’s a completely failure and that obviously the Glazers are cheat and vetoed the trades to save money.
Also the Bucs need to resign Baker to a 10-year $1-billion contract while they can still afford to keep him. He’s a first ballot HOFer and the best player in the history of the game, and frankly $1-billion is cheap. THIS MUST GET DONE! If not, it only proves that Licht is a failure and the Glazers vetoed it because they’re cheap.
I’ve read dozens of bumper sticks and listen to sports talk radio, so I know what I’m talking about, and I know that Licht is on the hot seat and the Glazers are cheap and Baker is the greatest of all time.