CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When the Carolina Panthers signed Jadeveon Clowney in free agency in March, the narrative was that the two-year deal would allow Clowney to return to the Carolinas and play near friends and family. As a bonus, Clowney might even bring along Stephon Gilmore, his old high school and college teammate, in a hometown package deal.
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But more than two months later with the Panthers’ other edge rushers forming a conga line to the training room, it’s becoming clear the Panthers need Clowney more than he needs them.
When DJ Johnson was carted off the field Tuesday during the first day of mandatory minicamp, the second-year player became the latest outside linebacker to be sidelined by injury. Johnson, the 2023 third-round pick who suffered an apparent knee injury, joined a long list of edge rushers whose training camp status could be in doubt.
Clowney hadn’t been around too much the past few weeks himself. But his absence was by choice: The No. 1 pick skipped the voluntary portion of OTAs to work out with his trainer Ben Fairchild in Houston. After sweating through the Texas heat on fields and tracks in greater Houston, Clowney made Tuesday’s two-hour practice sound like a late-spring stroll through Romare Bearden Park in uptown Charlotte.
“I can say it’s been way harder than what we do here. So when I come back it’s a lot easier,” said Clowney, adding that’s why he was smiling Tuesday.
Clowney spent part of Tuesday talking with D.J. Wonnum, another edge rusher the Panthers acquired in free agency. Wonnum has missed all spring with complications stemming from his quadriceps surgery. Amare Barno (ACL) and Eku Leota (calf) also have missed time with injuries, and free-agent acquisition K’Lavon Chaisson attended mandatory minicamp after he was absent from OTAs.
All of which is to say: The Panthers’ edge rusher group looks like a one-man band, with the 31-year-old Clowney singing lead, playing guitar and everything else.
“Those outside rushers are an important part of what we do. So it’s really good to see him out there,” first-year coach Dave Canales said. “But in the meantime, still scheme is scheme.”
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As it happens, Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 scheme is very similar to what Romeo Crennel was running in Houston after the Texans drafted Clowney No. 1 in 2014 following an All-American career at South Carolina. Clowney made three consecutive Pro Bowls — the only appearances of his career — while averaging 8.2 sacks and 17.7 tackles for loss for the Texans from 2016 to 2018.
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“Romeo put me in a lot of positions to make plays. I moved all over the field during those times,” Clowney said. “I’m buying into the scheme again. Hopefully they can find me some matchups and put me in position to win and make plays.”
Canales is confident that will be the case with Evero, who interviewed for head-coaching vacancies the past two offseasons and stuck with Carolina through the coaching change — as did all of his defensive assistants — in part because he was under contract.
“This is a really good system Ejiro has, and has his coaching staff teaching our guys,” Canales said. “The way we see it is if we teach good football, if our X’s and O’s are right, when we add these premier players into the mix it just really accentuates all of it and really makes it dangerous.”
It’s not like the Panthers’ defense is brimming with All-Pros. Defensive tackle Derrick Brown is one of the NFL’s best interior run-stoppers, and Jaycee Horn could be an elite cornerback if he ever stays healthy. But with the Panthers trading Brian Burns to the New York Giants and losing Frankie Luvu in free agency, they were fairly desperate to close the two-year, $20 million deal they gave Clowney.
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They seem to be less enthused about — or at least in no hurry — to bring in Gilmore, who grew up with Clowney in Rock Hill, S.C. Gilmore, who turns 34 in September and is coming off labrum surgery, remains a free agent. Clowney continues to talk to Gilmore about joining him in Charlotte but isn’t sure how it will play out.
“It always comes down to money or some things with my guy. I just stay out of it and let him do his thing. I just hope and pray he’ll end up here with me,” Clowney said. “It’s fun just talking to him and picking his brain. He’s got options. When you’ve got options it’s even funner. I’m just ready to see where he ends up.”
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Likewise, it will be interesting to see how Clowney follows up his 9 1/2-sack season in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens, which boasted a strong defensive cast. It was Clowney’s fifth team in six seasons, which included a one-year stop in Seattle in 2019 when Canales was a Seahawks assistant.
“Just a game changer,” Canales said. “I think he had a pick six in Arizona, one of the biggest plays I remember. But when he was out there, he was causing problems.”
New Panthers edge rushers Jadeveon Clowney and DJ Wonnun. Wonnum still recovering from complications following quad surgery. pic.twitter.com/0uiypGS49V
— Joe Person (@josephperson) June 11, 2024
Clowney has played only a full season twice in his 10-year career, but one of those was last year with the Ravens. Canales believes Clowney has figured out the amount of work he needs during the week to be disruptive Sunday.
“We’re really counting on that part,” he added.
The Panthers were a top-five defense last season in yards allowed despite not getting much production from their edge rushers. It didn’t help that the Panthers never led a game in the fourth quarter, when pass rushers can go hunting quarterbacks forced to pass every play to catch up.
Asked how much longer he plans to play, Clowney smiled and said: “I feel great right now. I’ll play as many more years as I can get out my bed and have fun, I guess. I ain’t in no rush to quit. About four or five.”
The Panthers would be thrilled with a 17-game, playmaking season from Clowney this year, especially considering what the rest of the position looks like.
(Top photo: Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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