The Texans and Jadeveon Clowney enter standoff territory now
Clowney is franchise tagged; what's next?
Mar 4, 2019, 12:39 pm
Jadeveon Clowney was in the spotlight. Zach Tarrant/Houstontexans.com
The Houston Texans made official their use of the franchise tag Monday on defensive standout Jadeveon Clowney.
The Houston Texans have placed the non-exclusive franchise designation on DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney, the team announced today. pic.twitter.com/HmY04QtzWj
— Texans PR (@TexansPR) March 4, 2019
The non-exclusive tag means they can match any offer sheet Clowney receives or accept compensation of two first round picks for a team signing him. He can not be traded until he signs the franchise tag.
Clowney has to be offered and accept a new contract by July 15 or he will be forced to play under the guaranteed one year tag number. Clowney will be tagged as a linebacker meaning his one-year guaranteed salary will be $15.967 million which is 120 percent of his previous year's salary. Pro Football Focus reports Clowney playing more snaps at defensive end this season. A defensive end tag would have been worth almost $2 million more than the linebacker tag. Clowney was rewarded an extra $1 million this past season on his fifth-year option after an assessment of his position. The NFL decides the positional tag.
Texans General Manager Brian Gaine said this about Clowney and the tag process in a press release.
"Today, we have placed the franchise tag on Jadeveon Clowney, but our goal is to continue to work with his representation on a long-term contract," he said. "This gives us both an opportunity to continue to do so."
Clowney has now recorded at least 58 pressures in each of the last 3 seasons. pic.twitter.com/kakhgG5ZtV
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) March 4, 2019
Cody's Take
This is the way the business is played right now. There wasn't really a deadline for them to reach a deal, that isn't until July. Clowney and the Texans can spend the next few months discussing and posturing on a new deal. I am sure Clowney's side wants money close to the most ever for a defensive player. There is no thought in my mind the Texans should pay that amount, but he should be rewarded.
The tag of linebacker is a bit silly as Clowney is basically a defensive end who can stand up for this team. Ultimately, that doesn't matter if a new contract is reached. If there isn't a new deal I don't expect to see Clowney until he absolutely has to show up to play. No mini-camp. No training camp. We will see Clowney when he has to sign and show up.
Missing those events is Clowney's right and I fully support his ability to do so. Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack missed camps before. So have other players. It isn't the end of the world if he misses the offseason workouts with the teams, but, you'd prefer he is there.
I would expect a pissed off and motivated Clowney in the upcoming season. Clowney keeps improving and there isn't an end in sight on his talent. One franchise tag makes a little bit of sense. I don't believe they would risk tagging him again and him sitting out a season.
Two years of tag (if stays as LB) for Clowney would be $35.13m. That could change if the 2019 amount gets an adjustment later this offseason.
— TexansCap (@TexansCap) March 4, 2019
The contract will be big if they can get it done. It will make some people uncomfortable but don't worry about the money. The Texans have it. They have planned for this. TexansCap projects the Texans to have $64 million after the franchise tag. The team got a little bit of a deal on DeAndre Hopkins and J.J. Watt is below market value as well right now. Deshaun Watson has a rookie quarterback deal. The money is fine for the next few seasons. I also would expect Watt ponders asking for a new deal if Clowney gets a deal higher than his deal, which if he gets a new contract he will.
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A new challenge awaits, and the Astros know what’s at stake
Jun 27, 2025, 2:05 pm
The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.
In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.
Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.
Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.
If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.
As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.
And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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