Homecoming stories in the NFL are heartwarming.
In 2017, Nick Foles returned to the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted him in 2013, as a backup quarterback and led the NFC East club to a Super Bowl victory when starter Carson Wentz went down.
In 2019, the Seattle Seahawks signed Marshawn Lynch in Week 17 to help them in their NFC West title game at home against the San Francisco 49ers. Lynch even scored a touchdown that game and three more throughout Seattle’s two-game playoff run.
According to Jeff Kerr from CBS Sports, the Houston Texans should foment a similar homecoming with former 2014 No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney as the defense retools its pass rush in the first season with rookie coach DeMeco Ryans.
The Texans need help everywhere on the roster, so let’s start with getting a pass rusher on the edge. Clowney once was a star in Houston and is looking for employment after having just 29 pressures and two sacks last season in 12 games.
Houston had just 39 sacks last season, but now has DeMeco Ryans as head coach to make the pass rush a strength. Adding a veteran like Clowney on a one-year, incentive-laden contract could immensely benefit a defensive line that has to get to the quarterback in order to win games.
Clowney was contributing those totals as a complement to All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. In Houston, Clowney would be expected to shoulder more than a complementary load as the Texans established their identity along the defensive line. It would also behoove the Texans to give Jonathan Greenard snaps in Ryans’ defensive scheme so as to evaluate whether he would be a long-term fit worthy of a new contract. The Texans may also be in the market for a first-round pass rusher, and a 10-year veteran would be a progress-stopper to the rookie getting valuable reps in training camp.
