Jadeveon Clowney Would Satisfy Minnesota’s Sudden Edge Needs

The Minnesota Vikings got a nice injection of youth with this weekend’s NFL Draft. Still, after trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s time to get a little older.

Minnesota added some nice pieces up front during the draft in Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange. They even added some depth at linebacker with Jake Golday. But the loss of Greenard creates a big hole at edge. While Dallas Turner is sure to take on a significantly bigger role, there’s now a steep drop-off in talent and production behind him.

Furthermore, now that teams can sign free agents without counting against the compensatory formula, the Vikings – and every other team in the league – will have a second wave of signings in the coming months. With Minnesota already honing in on their choice for WR3, the options for addressing edge rusher are less obvious. However, former No. 1-overall pick Jadeveon Clowney checks all the boxes.

Clowney has bounced around the league more than a beach ball at a Nickelback concert. Still, the 33-year-old has plenty left in the tank for a rotational role with the Vikings. Last season with the Dallas Cowboys, his seventh team, Clowney still stacked 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, despite playing just 372 snaps. He remains in great shape and would be ready to roll for the Vikings when, and if, the call comes in.

“That’s the usual for me,” Clowney told Houston's local NBC affiliate during a training session this offseason. “The usual, all season. Come in, stand on my grind. I got a lot left in the tank. I don’t know if other people know that, but I know that.”

With run defense addressed in the draft, Clowney would be the perfect player to rush the passer on third down, or even fill in for a few games if needed. While Turner came on strong last season, leading the Vikings with eight sacks, his development is still in progress.

Clowney is a savvy vet. Despite being a one-year import, he offers far more skill and experience than Minnesota has at rotational edge. Behind Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel, the next two men up would likely be Tyler Batty and Bo Richter, who have combined for 24 tackles and 0 sacks in their short careers.

Batty or Richter could develop into impact players. Still, much like Tai Felton’s case, Batty and Richter still have a ways to go before Brian Flores trusts them with meaningful snaps, especially in the event of a serious injury to a starter. Some project that second-round pick Golday could slide down to edge at times. However, for the low, low price of a few million bucks, Clowney still feels more secure.

He signed a one-year deal with Dallas last year for just $3.5 million, and it’s reasonable to assume he could be had for a similar price again in 2026. Minnesota is set to save $12.25 million this year by shipping off Greenard, making a potential Clowney addition very palatable.

The Vikings got burned by some bad deals for aging vets on the defensive line last year, so they will surely be hesitant to hand out big money to one again. But there’s more than Clowney’s bargain price and his fit with the defense that add value to the team. His leadership could be a strong backfill after losing a captain in Greenard. Last season, after Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention, Clowney was asked how he stays motivated, and his answer did not disappoint.

Clowney would elevate the defense in more than just his production, which isn’t smoke and mirrors, by the way. He’s coming off a season in which his 19.1% pressure rate trailed only superstars Micah Parsons and Will Anderson Jr., according to PFF. Not to mention his 79.2-overall grade, which ranked 18th out of 115 edge players in 2025.

From every angle, Clowney appears to be a perfect option for Minnesota’s newly created needs at edge. As for other potential options, there are many more red flags. Von Miller had a nice season last year with the Buffalo Bills, but he's already 37. Joey Bosa hasn’t played a full season of football since Pop Warner, and A.J. Epenesa already had a deal voided due to a failed physical.

Clowney isn’t the perfect answer, but for a team that needs some juice off the edge for a modest price, Minnesota would be clowns for passing on Jadeveon.