Over the past few days, a combination of trolls impersonating real reporters, smaller upstart Twitter accounts, and the public’s curiosity have been stoking the fires of a potential Jadeveon Clowney trade. That noise made its way to Buffalo’s corner of the world on Tuesday, when someone, writing under the handle of former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson’s podcast, Why So Serious, tweeted that the Bills were “closing in on Jadeveon Clowney.”
That news was shot down within short order by numerous NFL reporters. Tim Graham of The Athletic reported that a team source told him “Nothing there.” NFL Network’s Mike Garafalo echoed Graham. For John Wawrow of The Associated Press, it was an “LOL”.
Reporter and radio host Benjamin Allbright was in agreement with the others. He did mention that, per his sources, the Bills were one of a half dozen teams to make an inquiry with the Texans about Clowney, but stressed that nothing was imminent.
Clowney, 26, was handed a $16 million franchise tag agreement, which he has not signed. Because he passed through July without signing his tag, he cannot be signed to a long term contract before the end of the 2019 season, meaning any team that trades for him will secure his services for a single year.
Originally the number one overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Clowney has played in 62 games and started 55 in his first five seasons. He has 205 combined tackles, 29 sacks, 64 tackles for loss, 67 quarterback hits, 11 passes defended, and four forced fumbles.