The Dallas Cowboys have 22 players (UFA/RFA) who will officially hit the open market in a little less than two months. Today, we continue our series examining each of the Cowboys’ impending free agents, reviewing their 2025 campaign and predicting what will be next for each player.
We shift the focus of our free agent profile series to the defensive side of the ball, examining the future of veteran edge defender Jadeveon Clowney.
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2025 Regular Season Stats: 13G, 40 Pressures, 29 QB Hurries, 12 TFL, 9.0 Sacks, 1 FFM
Year Review: After dealing away star edge rusher Micah Parsons less than a week before the start of the 2025 regular season, the Cowboys were scrambling to find some pass rush help. Dallas knew their pass rush group, minus Parsons, was not good enough to be a consistent threat, so they went outside the organization to get a much-needed upgrade.
The Cowboys decided to target veteran edge defender Jadeveon Clowney, and the former number one overall pick ultimately signed with Dallas in mid-September. In signing Clowney, Dallas hoped the veteran could raise the floor for their pass-rush group, serving as a reliable rotational pass-rusher on defense.
Clowney did just that and more, exceeding expectations in every way possible. The veteran ended up being far and away the best-performing player on the defensive unit, putting together one of the better seasons of his career.
At age 32, the former South Carolina Gamecock recorded 40 total pressures, 29 QB Hurries, and nine sacks, all the most of any defender on Dallas’ roster. Clowney also recorded a 16.7% pass-rush win rate and 80.6 pass-rush grade (among qualifying edge defenders), which placed him in the top 17 in the league in both categories.
All in all, the Clowney signing went about as well as both he and the Cowboys could have ever predicted. The veteran’s big season likely earned him some big-time money as he is set to hit the open market this spring.
Free Agency Outlook: After the Cowboys’ regular season came to an end in the first week of January, Clowney spoke publicly and made it clear he would be open to re-signing with Dallas this offseason.
While it’s clear there will likely be mutual interest in a reunion between the two sides, the pass-rushers’ impressive 2025 campaign may price him out of a return to Dallas. This year’s free agency class features some talented edge rushers, headlined by Trey Hendrickson and Khalil Mack. Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders is another top edge defender who very well could be available via trade this offseason.
All three of those players are better than Clowney at this point in their respective careers, but they will all demand a high-money, multi-year commitment from whatever team wants to acquire them. In the past few years, Clowney has shown a willingness to sign short-term deals, which could make him a more attractive free agent option to other teams that aren’t looking to get locked into an extended financial commitment.
Spotter projects Clowney’s value on the open market at a one-year, $5.7M deal, which seems very low considering how well he performed last season. At his advanced age, Clowney will likely be looking for a higher AAV on a one-or-two year deal, as this may be his last chance to cash in.
Cowboys Verdict: While the competition to retain Clowney’s services may be steep, with just how bad the Cowboys’ defense was outside of him last season, Dallas will likely make it a priority to bring him back. He’s certainly going to earn more than he did last season, but signing Clowney back for one or two years would be a smart move for a Cowboys team that has plenty of holes to fill with limited resources this spring.
Clowney’s willingness to re-sign in Dallas might work to the Cowboys advtantage as he could be open to a more team-friendly deal that will allow them to allocate other resources elsewhere. In the end, Dallas will show some urgency that they haven’t in the past, signing Clowney to a two-year extension before he’s able to hit the open market in March.
Prediction: Jadeveon Clowney re-signs with the Cowboys on a two-year, $20M deal.