Who is Jadeveon Clowney, the DE the Cowboys signed to replace Micah Parsons?

The Dallas Cowboys opened the season with a 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and while their pass rush generated steady pressure, it was clear they missed Micah Parsons’ finishing ability.

Dallas managed just one sack on quarterback Jalen Hurts, courtesy of rookie Marshawn Kneeland, while Parsons tallied a sack for the Packers in his debut. The Cowboys pressured Hurts on 41.2% of his dropbacks (20 total pressures), led by Sam Williams (5), Dante Fowler (4), Osa Odighizuwa (4), Kenny Clark (3) and Kneeland (3).

Despite that volume, Hurts had the most time to throw of any QB in Week 1 and still finished with a team-high 62 rushing yards, turning scrambles into drive-sustaining plays. The effort showed Dallas can generate pressure “by committee,” but also underscored their lack of a dominant closer.

That need helps explain why the Cowboys brought in Jadeveon Clowney for a visit just after.

At the time, Clowney walked away without a deal. But after more than a few close calls in Week 2 against the New York Giants, Dallas announced they were signing Clowney after all.

Dallas signs veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney

Clowney was drafted by the Houston Texans first overall back in 2014. Although his rookie year was derailed by injuries, he ended up becoming a disruptive force on the team with three straight Pro Bowl nods from 2016 to 2018. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 and made an immediate impact there too. in 2020, Clowney signed with the Tennessee Titans, but was limited by injuries.

He spent the next two seasons with the Cleveland Browns, reclaiming his status as one of the best edge rushers in the league. He had nine sacks in 2021 - his best since his time in Houston. He continued that trajectory in Baltimore in 2023, putting up 9.5 sacks and 43 tackles with the Ravens.

Last season, Clowney played for the Carolina Panthers and logged 5.5 sacks and 46 tackles in 14 games. He was released in May of this year and looking for a new team. He could offer the ‘Boys the experience and disruption Dallas is currently missing without Parsons.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed to Clowney’s disruptive ability against both the run and pass as reasons to “kick the tires” on the 32-year-old.

Clowney, who posted a 14.9% pass rush win rate with the Panthers in 2024 (20th among qualifying edge rushers), adds veteran finishing ability without stunting the growth of Dallas’ young pass rushers. With $37.5M in cap space (second-most in NFL), the Cowboys had the financial flexibility to make the move.

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