Coach Mike Vrabel says Titans have offer out to Jadeveon Clowney as sweepstakes enters final leg
Erik Bacharach
Nashville Tennessean
As the Jadeveon Clowney sweepstakes enters its final leg, Mike Vrabel got out in front of things Friday.
Before the Titans coach took any questions on a Zoom conference call, he revealed that the Titans have an offer out for Clowney, the highly coveted edge rusher who still is a free agent as the start of the regular season looms a week away.
"We've been in contact with Jadeveon ... and his agent," Vrabel said. "That's all I can report, that's all I really know. Hope that helps."
On Thursday, NFL Network reported that the Saints were sending an "all-out blitz" to try to sign Clowney, adding that he had spoken multiple times to New Orleans coach Sean Payton. ESPN reported the Titans, in addition to the Saints, were making "strong pushes" to sign him and that he could have a deal with a new team "very soon."
"Both teams want him on the field by Monday and are making their pitches," ESPN's Diana Russini tweeted Thursday.
Titans general manager Jon Robinson first indicated in April that the team was interested in Clowney. In June, Robinson said, "I think we would be a pretty good fit for him."
Clowney, 27, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft. A three-time Pro Bowler, he had only three sacks and 31 tackles a year ago for the Seahawks after consecutive seasons of at least nine sacks for Houston, where he played his first five seasons in the league.
Asked Friday for a general sense of what Clowney can do for a defense, Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry kept it simple.
"Be disruptive," Landry said.
Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan and inside linebacker Will Compton, who co-host the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast, both took to Twitter on Thursday night to try to lure Clowney.
"Become one of the boys.. @clownejd," Compton tweeted at Clowney.
The Titans open their season against the Broncos in Denver on Sept. 14. Vrabel was asked how quickly Clowney would need to be signed in order for him to be ready for the opener.
"I don't think we're past that time," Vrabel said. "But there is a testing protocol that they have to go through to be able to come in the building, and also you are talking about getting ready to play, executing the game plan and how much of a factor that player would have in the game."
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