Jadeveon Clowney has bounced around to several different teams during the latter part of his career, but the veteran edge rusher had never been released … until Thursday
Two weeks after taking a pair of SEC pass rushers during the second night of the NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers cut Clowney in the biggest of several roster moves before Friday’s start of rookie camp.
The release ends Clowney’s stint with his hometown-ish team a year earlier than he anticipated. The native of Rock Hill, S.C., who was the No. 1 pick out of South Carolina in 2014, signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Panthers last March. Clowney, who tied defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson for the team lead with 5 1/2 sacks in 2024, said this isn’t the end of his playing days.
“I’m definitely gonna play well. You can mark my word on that. I don’t care where I end up playing at, I’m gonna play extremely well,” Clowney said Thursday afternoon during a phone interview with The Athletic.
“I think I played well for Carolina (last) year, considering the circumstances that was unfolded for me. I played with a bunch of guys that was hurt this past year. And I ended up playing extremely well for them. So it is what it is. I can play the game. I can play football. There are 31 other teams. I just hope another team gives me that opportunity so I can prove myself again. I feel like I can do that.”
Clowney’s future with the team had been in question since the Panthers selected edge rushers Nic Scourton of Texas A&M and Princely Umanmielen of Ole Miss in the second and third rounds, respectively. General manager Dan Morgan was noncommittal when asked that night if the Panthers were considering moving on from the 32-year-old Clowney.
“We’re still working through the roster,” Morgan said. “We’re still talking through things.”