The first week of July isn’t usually the hottest time for football rumors, but Monday offered a good one involving the Raiders apparent interest in free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
The initial report came from Cecil Lammey, a radio host and league insider on Denver’s 104.3 The Fan, and was seconded later in the day by The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. But the real meat of the report came from Lammey, who indicated that Jon Gruden is the voice in Las Vegas pushing hardest for Clowney – with Mark Davis and Mike Mayock seemingly pumping the brakes on the idea for now.
The Raiders don’t have much cap room to work with and they still need to sign their rookies, including two first-round picks. So to fit Clowney under the salary cap it might take a little creativity in terms of reworking a contract of someone already on the Raiders’ roster. As far as the actual cash spending, the Raiders plan has always been to make a splash in their first year in Las Vegas. What better way to make a splash than to add the top free agent currently on the market who also happens to be a proven pass rusher that can get to the Chiefs’ new $500 million quarterback?
Everyone knows how googly-eyed Gruden can get with raw football talent so it’s probably worth noting that Gruden was in the broadcast booth when Clowney made the trademark play of his college career at the University of South Carolina.
Don’t you suppose this play is quick to Gruden’s mind every time Clowney’s name comes up?
According to The Athletic, the Raiders have the third best offer on the table for Clowney right now. The Browns are believed to have made the highest offer to him and the Titans, Eagles, and Seahawks are still apparently in the mix.
But if Gruden really wants Clowney, we may as well consider the Raiders the favorite to land him, don’t you think?
On an important side note… Gruden isn’t the only one that wants to see Clowney in Las Vegas.
Charles Woodson wants to see it, too.
twitter: @raidersbeat
