[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T39XRS19D0[/embedyt]The Titans paid high, Clowney Scored Low.
The Jedeveon Clowney train was chugging along at full speed before the beginning of last season. Every NFL rumor known to man popped up about where he was possibly going. He waited until a week before the season to finally sign a 1 year, 13 million dollar deal with the Tennessee Titans. Fans were excited at the notion of having a player like Clowney in two-tone blue. As the season progressed, he did make some plays but never recorded a sack. On one play, he hit the Quarterback dead on and still could not bring him down. The Titans lined him up everywhere on the D-Line trying to get production out of him. Then of course, like always, he got hurt with a mysterious knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. Thirteen million up in smoke and not one sack to show for it. The Titans will more than likely not receive a compensatory pick either.
Was it the Team or was it his Fault?
In the Cleveland Browns press conference the other day, Jedeveon Clowney had some things to say about his previous team. He stated “I will be happy to play on a team with a dominant defense” so he won’t see so many double teams. He also said in the presser, “You guys won 12 games last year, right? More than the team I played on”. In my opinion, Clowney is just making excuses for his poor performance last season and once again, he did not finish a season because of injury. So who’s fault is it? Just because the Titan’s defense was horrible does not mean there were not some standout players. The reason he was brought in was to get sacks, which he failed to do.
Elite Players Beat Double Teams.
When he made that comment about being double-teamed, it kind of surprised me. He was an overall number one draft pick in 2014. I wonder if Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Michael Strahan, or Julius Peppers would publicly complain about being double teamed throughout their respective careers? Dominant players don’t complain, dominant players push through and make plays when the odds are stacked against them. The Titans GM Jon Robinson and Head Coach Mike Vrabel want players who love to play football. They want players who come ready to work every day and have a deep passion for the game. I’m not saying that Clowney is not passionate about the game or anything like that, I just think it was rather disrespectful to talk smack about a team who took a chance on you and paid you 13 million dollars. The Titans cleaned house on defense this offseason and it seems like not re-signing Jedaveon Clowney was a good move considering his recent comments.
