After Sunday’s season finale against the New York Giants, it will be time for the Dallas Cowboys to begin their offseason operations. Per usual, Dallas will work to bring back some of their in-house free agents. One of the more intriguing ones is pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones, the man who oversees most of the day-to-day operations with the Cowboys, was on 105.3 The Fan recently. When Clowney’s name was mentioned, Jones didn’t hesitate to point out that the team would be on board about bringing him back in 2026.
The 12-year veteran didn’t step on the field until Week 4 versus the Green Bay Packers in which he logged three tackles in 23 snaps in a 40-40 tie. By the time the Cowboys took on the Washington Commanders in Week 7, Clowney had his football legs under him and he flashed with five tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery in the win. Two weeks later against the Arizona Cardinals, Clowney got his first start for the Cowboys, and he performed very well in the loss with five tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass breakup.
While the Cowboys were in the midst of their playoff push, one the biggest wins for them was against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving. Clowney logged a season-high six tackles and he also had two sacks in the win. On Christmas day, Clowney registered another fine performance with 1.5 sacks and he also put up season highs in tackles for loss (3) and quarterback hits (3).
The Cowboys bringing back Clowney makes sense in several ways. For one, his price tag won’t be high due to being in the league so long, and that fits right into the Cowboys usual frugal spending habits. Veteran leadership is important on any roster, and with a young and promising player like Donovan Ezeiruaku in the same room, Clowney’s knowledge can be beneficial for him and the team as a whole. Plus, as documented, Clowney is still able to be productive at his age, and no team can have too many pass rushers, especially ones that can also help against the run like he was able to do this season.
After the Cowboys beat the Commanders last week, Clowney talked about what lies ahead for him. Not only does he plan to keep playing next year, but returning to Dallas is something he’d be interested in.
Oh yeah, [I’d re-sign in Dallas] if they’re willing to bring me back, but, yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m definitely gonna play.
Dallas brining back Clowney makes sense for one more reason. Outside of Ezeiruaku and veteran James Houston, the Cowboys won’t have any other edge rushers under contract in 2026. Of course, they will look to add one in free agency and certainly the NFL draft, but Dallas needs bodies off the edge, and Clowney is one they can retain for cheap.
Clowney also mentioned that he plans to sign with a team earlier next year and he wants to go to training camp, which is something aging veterans like to avoid. Time will tell how things play out, but Clowney coming back for another season in Dallas would help out a defense that desperately needs it.
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