According to Denver insider Cecil Lammey, the Raiders are making a push to sign free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Previous reports around the league have distanced the Raiders from Clowney, but Lammey said Jon Gruden “really wants” Clowney. Still, though, it sounds like owner Mark Davis and general manager Mike Mayock may not share quite the same enthusiasm.
A product of the same 2014 draft that gave the Raiders Khalil Mack, Clowney is still only 27 years old. The Raiders don’t necessarily have a deep need at defensive end (they’ve invested a lot at the position), but in a division with Patrick Mahomes, can a team ever have too many pass rushers?
Once again, the Raiders might have a slim advantage over other teams in the running for Clowney because of Nevada state taxes and the lure of Las Vegas. The Raiders should have enough pass-rushers on the roster to keep defenses from keying on Clowney so even if he signed a short-term deal, the Raiders wouldn’t be a bad opportunity for him to earn a better long-term deal.
Whatever the case, if Gruden is really the one pushing to sign Clowney, there’s a good chance it will happen. Assuming, of course, that Clowney is interested in playing for the Raiders.
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