Floyd, at 31, achieved 10.5 sacks in 2023 before moving on to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. With his departure, the Bills’ general manager, Brandon Beane, now needs to address the gap on the defensive edge. One potential option, according to Katherine Fitzgerald of the Buffalo News, is three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney. Even though the Bills recently signed Casey Toohill, Clowney could be a suitable candidate to help compensate for the loss of Floyd in the team’s pass-rushing unit.
Following a productive season with 19 quarterback hits and 9.5 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens, Clowney is a free agent looking for a new place to call home. A history of ailments might have hurt the market for the former No. 1 overall choice, as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell pointed out.
According to Barnwell, Clowney was a free agent until August of last year, when he signed a $2.5 million, one-year contract to play with the Ravens.
Clowney’s inconsistency in play and considerable injury history have prevented him from signing multiyear contracts, according to Barnwell. “Bill O’Brien franchised-tagged the 2014 No. 1 pick before dealing him to the Seahawks after he completed his rookie contract and fifth-year option with the Texans. After signing a one-season contract in 2022, Clowney’s successful 2021 season didn’t have the same impact as it did with the Seahawks, Titans, and Browns.
Beane had previously cautioned that the Bills’ salary limit restrictions would prevent them from making any big free agent acquisitions; but, if Clowney were to fall into the same general cost bracket as the previous season, he might be a more attainable goal.
