Throughout training camp and preseason, Detroit Lions fans weren’t content with the depth (or lack thereof) at the defensive end spot. Those worries didn’t go away when Week 1 began, as the Lions’ pass rush was non-existent against the Green Bay Packers.
Detroit fans sat back and watched the Packers trade for Micah Parsons, and then saw former Lion Za’Darius Smith sign with the Philadelphia Eagles. And now the Lions are about to allow the Dallas Cowboys to potentially scoop up the best pass rusher left in free agency.
According to senior NFL insider Josina Anderson, free agent Jadeveon Clowney is visiting with the Cowboys on Wednesday. The Cowboys are in a similar position as the Lions, as their pass rush was also non-existent in Week 1.
Lions Continue to Willfully Neglect Pass Rushing Woes
Lions fans won't be happy to see Anderson's report. Clowney should be on Detroit’s radar, as he would be an instant upgrade over backups Tyrus Wheat and Al-Quadin Muhammad and starter Marcus Davenport.
In last week’s defeat to the Packers, Aidan Hutchinson led the Lions with three pressures, per Colton Pouncey of The Athletic. The Lions’ defense also racked up eight pressures, which is unacceptable. Hutchinson and Muhammad also recorded one quarterback hit each.
If the Lions want to make a deep run in the playoffs and be a threat in the NFC, they need to add more to their pass rusher. Clowney seems like the perfect option to do that.
Last year with the Carolina Panthers, the 32-year-old pass rusher produced 22 QB pressures, 11 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks in 14 games. And he was playing on a Panthers’ defense that doesn’t have an Hutchinson-type pass rusher or even Derrick Brown, who was injured.
Before Clowney arrived in Carolina last offseason, he had a couple of nine-sack seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (9.5 in 2023) and the Cleveland Browns (9 in 2021). The Ravens didn’t have a Hutchinson-type player on the edge; they had Kyle Van Noy, who had nine sacks.
And when you look at his 2021 season with the Browns, Clowney was a perfect complement to Myles Garrett (16 sacks) in Joe Woods’ 4-3 system. Now, most of the veteran’s success has come in a 3-4 system, which the Lions do not run under first-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard (4-3).
However, the fact that the Cowboys are bringing him in for a visit, and they run a 4-3 defense, tells you everything you need to know.
It doesn’t matter the scheme fit; the Cowboys just want another pass-rushing threat. And that should be the mantra of the Lions. They cannot be picky with their edge choices at this point, as the market is quickly drying up.
If Clowney ends up with the Cowboys, the Lions’ next best options are Demarcus Walker and former Packer Preston Smith.