[The Ringer] We're Still Waiting on Jadeveon Clowney.

AP seems to be doing pretty well...
Arian Foster was hurt almost every year, are you wishing we didnt keep him all those years?
Jordy Nelson is hurt again, I think the Packers should just let him go.

 

If healthy,

Clowney leads Texans in sacks this year.

 

Bold Statement... I like it.

 

He's been dominating in TC.

On another level. Very Watt like and I don't think JJ will be very healthy this year.

 

So it's clear, my comment was sarcasm.

 

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zK4jggDYEuc

 

I hope you're right. If he can stay injury free, it's quite possible.

 

Getting Watt, Mercilus, and Clowney on the field together has to make RAC salivate. They will take so much pressure off the DBs. If Covington can continue his progression, that might make this defense even better than last year.

 

Mercy doesn't rush as well with Clowney on the field.

It's strange.

You would have to move Watt inside imo.

Let him destroy guards and centers.

 

He looks like such a beast.

I hope they manage his snaps to keep him healthy

 

That's what has always worried me about him. His power and force that he puts on his joints might be more than they can physically support. An Achilles tear is another potential problem that I could see hitting him.

Liming reps won't help that and I rarely thinks that helps these situations. They tried to keep Yao at a certain amount of minutes a game but his feet were still subjected to shock. I don't think you are looking at gradual ware and tear with Clowney. It's an any given play thing. I hope we are all wrong and he puts the last year and a half behind him. No one here is going to be happy about being right.

I also feel that he is just always going to be out of position as a 4-3 LB. Watt is a naturally bigger guy who also played DL in college and has the right body for a 3-4 DE. I always hoped Clowney would be able to play on the other side because he is just not going to drop into coverage when he needs to. Mercilius made the transition OK but he is still more conducive to that position. Clowney belongs as a pure edge rusher on the line and they might only bring him in on 4-3 like packages.

 

The Jack OLB in a 3-4 is essentially a pure edge rusher just like a 4-3 DE would be. It's not really much of a transition between the 2 positions given that they do almost the exact same thing. The 3-4 DE is an interior lineman position, so if you want him as an edge rusher...well that's the position he plays.

 

Don't forget the madman Cushing. He is definitely back to his old self leading this team with his fire and desire.

 

Really great to see/hear Clowney wreck shop this week.

 

Jadeveon Clowney's time is now

It's time.

It's time for the Jadeveon Clowney to live up to the hype that's surrounded his name since he virtually decapitated Michigan RB Vincent Smith in the Outback Bowl. You remember that hit. The one where Clowney exploded through a gap, decleated Smith and scooped up a loose ball with his left hand, as his right arm was still around the poor running back's fallen body. The big hit not only catapulted Clowney into stardom, but it set off the hype train in NFL circles, with scouts raving about his generational talent and potential.

I'll admit that I was very much caught up in the Clowney phenomenon. I compared the 6-foot-5, 266-pound defensive end to a few of my Hall of Fame teammates (Reggie White, Derrick Thomas and Bruce Smith) and suggested that he had the potential to take over the league like a young Julius Peppers did during my time as a scout for the Carolina Panthers.

I continued to gush over Clowney's immense talent after watching the athletic freak blow up the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, where the defensive lineman paced his position group with some remarkable numbers (4.53-second 40-yard dash, 37.5-inch vertical jump, 10-4 broad jump) while displaying the kind of agility and movement skills that are uncommon for long, rangy pass rushers with elite physical dimensions. Sure, I was concerned about the questions regarding his spotty work ethic and injury history, but I was willing to gamble on Clowney's spectacular talent after watching the former No. 1 overall recruit destroy SEC competition as a raw -- but ultra-explosive -- pass rusher.

The Houston Texans agreed and selected Clowney with the first pick in a draft that also featured another pass rusher (Khalil Mack) with nearly identical explosive traits and a rugged game. The ex-Buffalo standout was viewed as a superior prospect in a few circles, and his selection as an All-Pro defender at two positions last season has put the Texans' decision in the spotlight -- particularly with Clowney missing significant time (15 regular-season games in two years) with an assortment of injuries (including one that necessitated microfracture surgery) and failing to make the kind of impact (4.5 career sacks) that's expected of the No. 1 overall pick.

With "the B-word" (bust) being loosely associated with Clowney's name, it is time for the Texans pass rusher to take his game up a notch, particularly with three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt questionable for the start of the season. The absence of the most disruptive defender in the game not only would give Clowney the opportunity to showcase his talents as a DPR1 (designated pass rusher), but it could remind evaluators why the ultra-athletic defender garnered so much attention prior to his arrival as a pro.

Looking at the All-22 Coaches Film of Clowney's play from the past two seasons, I've always been impressed with his natural athleticism and explosive power. He has physical gifts that are hard to find. From his remarkable first-step quickness to his ability to turn speed into power on bull-rush maneuvers, Clowney plays the game like a bull in a china shop. He stays in attack mode and his combination of power-based moves (bull rush, two-hand swipe, butt-and-jerk) makes him a nightmare to deal with in isolated matchups, especially when he mixes in a speed rush or inside arm-over maneuver to get free. Although Clowney hasn't compiled the kind of production that jumps off the stat sheet, anyone watching the tape would notice how his technique has improved tremendously since he entered the league. He has more tools in the toolbox than before and he was beginning to understand how to diversify his game when injuries prematurely ended his 2015 campaign.

This preseason, Clowney looks like an absolute monster on the edge. He has continued to build upon the momentum created by his strong finish a season ago (15 tackles and three sacks in his final four games). When I studied his spectacular performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 of this preseason, I saw that Clowney is not only more polished as a pass rusher, but he is nearly impossible to contain against the run. He has a strong nose for the ball and effectively uses his extraordinary length to hold the point against runs to his direction. The third-year pro routinely "long arms" blockers (defender places his inside hand squarely in the center of the blocker's chest and extends his arm to keep his outside hand free to corral runners attempting to turn the corner) to keep runners from getting outside. In addition, Clowney flashes a strong two-handed shiver that allows him to stalemate blockers on zone or power-based blocks, which clogs the hole for runners attempting to slip through creases on the inside. With Clowney also showing the wiggle and burst to slip through cracks and run down ball carriers from the back side, he is a destructive force as a run defender and must be accounted for on every snap.

When I quizzed a few scouts about Clowney's progress as a pro -- particularly after his strong showing against Saints -- they weren't surprised by the development, but they also weren't quite ready to fully embrace him as a breakout star. In fact, I had an AFC personnel executive tell me, "He's the same guy [as college]. You will always expect him to be the guy, but he leaves you heartbroken ... Kind of reminds me of Mario Williams."

An NFC scout added, "With him, it's not about the skills, it's about the want to ... It's not necessarily his fault, based on how he was coached by [Steve] Spurrier, but he needed someone to hold him accountable to reach his potential."

I found those responses interesting, considering how excited scouts tend to get with any edge defender who flashes disruptive potential, but it speaks to the perception that surrounded Clowney entering the league. Despite his unlimited potential, some scouts are reluctant to go all in on his ability to develop into a dominant player until he performs at a high level for a sustained period. That's why it's imperative for Clowney to shine during Watt's potential absence, to help the Texans' defense remain among the league's elite while silencing some of the criticisms lobbed in his direction since the pre-draft process back in 2014. Clowney needs to be a "shop wrecker" off the edge against the run and pass to spark a defense that usually lives on splash plays from Watt.

If Clowney can hold down the DPR1 spot with Watt on the sideline, the Texans' defense could be downright scary when they get their full complement of weapons on the field. Most importantly, the unit could make Houston a title contender and validate Clowney's selection at No. 1 overall.

 

There were a couple of times yesterday where it seemed obvious he was being held. His initial burst into the backfield is usually too much for the o-line. Sometimes that burst is too much and he outruns the QB or RB and has to recover back.

 

Staff also made it a priority to get Clowney all of his reps at RDE, going against the LT. I am still holding out hope that they can convince Watt to slide inside on passing downs, putting Clowney at LDE and Mercilus at RDE.

 

Clowney is at OLB going against the LT, in the 3-4 the DE position is an interior spot not greatly different from a DT in a 4-3. I don't know why there is still confusion about this.

 

I am talking about passing downs... where Clowney has been the RDE with his hand in the ground in a 4 man front. Thus, I am not confused whatsoever.

 

he was all over the field, which was great to see.