By Bob Condotta | The Seattle Times
RENTON — As long as defensive end Jadeveon Clowney remained unsigned there’s been a thought that the Seahawks could still be interested and a reunion possible.
But Seattle may be about to put Clowney in the past, according to a report from the NFL Network’s Michael Silver on Thursday.
Silver tweeted that the Seahawks “appear to have moved on from Clowney, who wants more than they’re willing to pay.”
Silver also reported that Clowney continues to want a deal around $15 million or $16 million a year and possibly more, saying he turned down an offer for that amount early in free agency.
Reports have said Seattle’s first offer was in the range of $15 million to $16 million, but after the Seahawks had to fill other needs they told Clowney they could no longer keep that offer on the table. Any current Seattle offer isn’t believed to be in that range.
Clowney had at one point been reported as willing to lower his demands. But recent indications is that he is not offering Seattle any discount, and as Silver reported “continues to seek a deal that he believes reflects his value.”
Silver also reported that Seattle is turning its attention to free agents Everson Griffen and Clay Matthews and that a deal with one of those two “could happen soon.”
Griffen and Matthews played at USC for current Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
If one or the other signs soon, that would essentially mark the end of any chance of Clowney returning, as the Seahawks wouldn’t have the ability to sign one of those two and Clowney.
Griffen, 32, has played his 10-year NFL career with the Vikings and had eight sacks last season.
Matthews, 34, played 10 seasons for Green Bay and spent last year with the Rams, making eight sacks in 13 games.
In an interview on 710 ESPN Seattle on Thursday morning, Silver said he’s not sure Clowney will be signing with any team soon, noting that the market has changed as the COVID-19 pandemic has continued.
The NFL salary cap is likely to be lower next season than it is this year due to a decline in revenues if fans are not allowed at games. The cap this year is $198.2 million, and next year’s could be as low as $175 million. The league recently agreed that it will not drop further than that, instead parceling out any declines into four future years instead of taking it all at once.
The prospect of that drop, Silver said, has teams “starting to get a little more frugal, and owners are getting more reticent to write checks in general.”
