The official don't re-sign Clowney thread

We had the most devastating defensive player (Watt) in the league for a few years and could only get through 1 round of the playoffs, because our QB play was bad. Now we finally have a good QB, if we have to overpay for an actually competent young LT to keep our most valuable asset (Watson) healthy, then I am ok with it.

 

This situation most likely ends with clowney missing a few games then signing the tender and becoming a situational rusher for us this year. Miami has started to back off of the deal at this point since Houston has shown an inability to meet their demands. From what I have heard, this situation probably continues into next offseason.

 

Not true. New team can franchise him for a 2nd year, and actually a 3rd year, each with a 20% pay increase. Although it's unlikely they'd do this, Clowney couldn't just walk away if he wanted to.

 

Don’t pretend to have sources.

 

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/Texans-Clowney-difference-of-opinion-on-value-14402004.php

The Texans and Clowney and, the rest of the NFL, have a fundamental disconnect between how Clowney wants to be compensated.

Hence, the Texans being involved in trade discussions with the Miami Dolphins and other NFL teams with Clowney refusing to sign his $15.967 million tender and refusing to play for a team he doesn't view as a contender, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly. Clowney prefers the Seattle Seahawks or the Philadelphia Eagles, per sources.

"It's not a matter of want, it's a matter of difference of opinion on value relative to the contract," O'Brien said. "It has nothing to do with want. This is where the business end of things comes in.'

Clowney wants to be paid in the neighborhood six-year, $141 million deal for the Chicago Bears' Khalil Mack and a six-year, $135 million contract for Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.

"The ball is in his court," O'Brien said when asked if Clowney is welcome back with the Texans. "Anytime he wants to sign the tender, we can talk."

What if Clowney refuses to accept a trade and refuses to report to a team that is trying to trade him? O'Brien said: 'That's up to him."

O'Brien called Clowney a "good player," adding that he's confident from their conversations he is ready to play whenever he shows up.

"I know he's been working," O'Brien said. "He said he's in the best shape of his life.'

 

Amazing that so many see the opportunity to blow your salary cap on Clowney as some attractive trade chip.

 

Insanity.

 

Texans fan base is completely ok with Matt Khalil and Roderick Johnson protecting Deshaun Watson. I don’t even know what to say about that.

 

Go ask LeVeon Bell if taking a year off dramatically hurt his value as a free agent. Oh wait, I already know the answer: it didn’t. It’s also cute that you equate an NFL contract to a standard 9-5 job. NFL players can suffer a career-ending injury on any play. Most 9-5 employees don’t encounter that risk. That said, I’ll admit that a few blue-collar jobs do. But those blue-collar jobs should have strong workers’ rights protections, too.

You are correct, and thank you for the clarification.

You are correct that that the player’s association is at fault here and allowed themselves to get bent over by the owners in the last round of collective bargaining negotiations. However, the tag isn’t simply a tool for dealing with greedy players. It’s also a way to prevent important players from leaving their teams, restricts player flexibility, and if the player gets seriously hurt while playing on the tag, significantly limits his long-term earning potential. Also, you don’t even know what the Texans offered Clowney, so calling him greedy is a stretch. What we do know is the Texans classified Clowney as a linebacker despite playing the vast majority of his snaps at defensive end, costing him a million dollars in salary. Who’s being greedy again?

Clowney has said on multiple occasions that he wants to remain a Texan. He also was planning on signing his franchise tender and reporting this week until Bill O’Brien got his feelings hurt about Clowney sitting out the preseason and went back on his word about not trading him. That’s why the current situation is what it is. It’s hilarious you continue to only blame Clowney for this mess. And, yes. as I stated above, the NFLPA allowed the franchise tag to be implemented, so they deserve blame, too.

Finally, free agency is in place to allow owners to negotiate in good faith while also not binding players to one team for their entire career, no matter what. Clowney, Bell, Elliott and others that have held out for long-term contract extensions aren’t trying to form super teams and decide the future of the league. The NFL salary cap structure and 53-man roster size won’t allow it. They simply want to be paid what they are worth relative to their peers (based on production) and have long-term security in a sport where one play can end their career.

 

Curious if we can just trade our first for Trent Williams...

 

Did BoB ever make this promise? Believe the report was that Clowney made peace with playing under the tag if they couldn't agree to a new deal or wasn't traded.

 

THIS. And what I don’t understand is fans getting on board with offering up a first along with Clowney. Yes a LT is important but they could’ve signed one in FA and traded up for Dillard. Don’t go screwing up our future for the next coach after Billy is out the door. The front office needs to be held accountable for their **** ups, they shat the bed so now they need to lay in it. Wait until next off season where you can potentially land Caserio. And have him negotiate a deal where you can get full value on a trade. Like bro this ain’t madden, mishandling draft picked is the quickest way to sink a franchise

 

Way to put words in others mouths. Nobody here is fine with that scenario. The difference is most of us don’t want the Texans to get bent over in a Clowney trade. A better option than trading Clowney and a first for Tunsil would be to keep Clowney and trade next year’s first to the Redskins for Trent Williams. Then, either the Texans have a Pro-Bowl caliber left tackle and defensive end, or they can still move Clowney for draft picks if they so choose.

 

I do. You're making it up.

 

I’m not connected to Bill O’Brien, so, no, I don’t know if that promise was made. But based on numerous articles in the last couple of days, we know that Clowney was set to report this week and play out the year on the franchise tag until he found out the Texans were trying to trade him again.

 

don't understand why a rebuilding team like Miami would trade for one year of control of Clowney

 

I don't think they really care about Clowney. He's really just a throw in if they are asking for multiple high picks. Texans are asking for cents on the dollar for anyone who will take Clowney from them. BoB doing some amazing GM work.

 

Wondering that myself- I'd do that, and keep Clowney.

 

You can tag a player up to 3 times so potentially it’s more than one year although unlikely it’d come to that.