Good writeup here... The Texans Options with JD Clowney Pretty much what I expect to happen now with OB running the show. They'll settle for two thirds. OB will say 'Look, everything we do is about the team. It's not about one guy. etc etc'
If Clowney will sit out the year - not saying he really will, but you never know, increasingly I see this as a possibility - then he has no value, really. Sure, the team can franchise him again the next year, but no NFL team is going to keep along this path. Once the dude sits out one year, and says no problem, I'll sit out again, you believe him and move on. I get it's all a game of chicken and the above scenario will not play out, but in a world where you have to at least see what the hypothetical end game is, if a player can just say "no prob, I just won't play", then the player has ALL the leverage. The only thing remotely mitigating that at this point is that Clowney has "only" made $22 million gross on his rookie contract, so isn't exactly "walking away" with a superstar boatload of cash. But alternatively, he's just 26. He can sit two years - theoretically -still be only 28, with a good 3/4 years left at least, and one can hypothetically see a scenario where the sitting out gives him a year on the backend. I'm not up to speed on his contract demands. Short of getting a legit LT back in some hypothetical trade, which is a virtual impossibility imo, the next best scenario is EASILY to get Clowney on the field. Either give him the "higher" tag amount (if I remember, they were trying to tag him as a hybrid or something?) or get him under contract. Also of note, Hopkins and Clowney are very close.
I know cap space rolls over in the NFL, but I think there are interesting rules to this right? Can the Texans sign Clowney to a longer-term deal where there is very little bonus but a very very very high first year salary? Eats into their cap space this year which means less to roll over for next year, but then there's not a big hit at all on next year's cap... and they can cut him in the future if necessary with no dead weight?
I’m guessing that’s what’s going to happen. The best thing the Texans can do right now is come out and say we aren’t shopping Clowney, looking forward to getting him back, etc...even if it’s a blatant lie. Just like Morey with CP3, do whatever you want behind the scenes but at least make it seem that you're prepared to go into the season with him as part of your team.
In this scenario, the Texans would have the option of franchise tagging him for a third year. Essentially the rights you have over him rolls over if he sits out the entire season. It's what Le'Veon Bell did and the Steelers had the option of tagging him again, but they decided to cut ties and move on. Doubt it gets anywhere this far though.
Did not know that. Does indeed change the game of chicken a bit. I think the Bell situation unfortunately hurts the Texans. Clowney will bet the Texans will move on.
The price keeps going up each year they franchise tag him and each team only gets one player a year they can franchise tag. It's not something you want used on the same player year after year. The Steelers had no choice but to cut Bell after franchise tagging for 2 years. His franchise tag number was going to be at the QB number. No way they were going to pay that. What the Steelers did is exactly what the Texans don't want to do. Best case scenario is Clowney remains on the team this year and gets traded right before the next draft.
This is exactly what they should do. Clowney is not going to hold out the whole year. I think he'll be there game one.