Jadeveon Clowney says he’s ready to go after surgery, still open to Seattle return

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Jadeveon Clowney remains one of the biggest names still available on the free agent market. The former Seattle Seahawks defensive end had surgery on a core muscle injury after the season and hasn’t been able to find a landing spot that’s felt right despite it being nearly two months into the free agency process.

Part of his continued free agency could be attributable to the fact teams haven’t had a chance to get a look at Clowney themselves due to restrictions in place due to the coronavirus. They haven’t had a chance to get their own doctors to evaluate the core muscle recovery or his injury history to determine exactly where he’s at physically at this point.

But Clowney says he’s recovered from the surgery and is ready to go as soon as team makes the commitment to him.

“I just want to let people know I’m ready,” Clowney said, via Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston. “I’ll be ready to go whenever the time comes. Whoever I sign with will get the best version of me. I’m working. I’m staying ahead of schedule and working and I’m going to be ready to go when training camp starts.”

Clowney said he’s been working out at Plex in Houston since about two weeks after he had core muscle surgery following the season.

“I’ve been here ever since just strengthening my core and getting back on track and getting ready for the next year,” he said.

Clowney was traded to Seattle before the start of last season. He appeared in 13 games with 11 starts as the core muscle injury lingered through the entire second half of the season. Clowney was limited to just three sacks on the year but he was the only regularly disruptive pass rusher the Seahawks had last year as only the Miami Dolphins finished with fewer sacks as a team.

The Seahawks have repeatedly said they haven’t closed the door on a reunion with Clowney and Clowney echoed those sentiments himself as well.

“I love Seattle,” Clowney said. “I love everybody on the coaching staff. I wouldn’t trade those guys in. I hope we can work something out. If anything happens, I did like it up there. I love Russ. I love all the guys I played with, J-Reed (Jarran Reed), B-Jack (Branden Jackson) and all them boys in my D-line room and I respect them guys.

“I’ve got a few [offers], but the process for me is really just weighing my options and taking my time. I ain’t in no rush right now. I know with what’s going on right now in the world, with the coronavirus and everything, it’s a slow process until teams really can see me and see what I got and give me physicals and everything.

“So I ain’t in no rush. I’m just waiting on the right opportunity and the right timing for me. It’s all about timing and opportunity. Just stay focused and stay locked in and stay working and it’s going to present itself when the time is right.”