Veteran defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is no stranger to the Seattle Seahawks, having played there for 13 games back in 2019.
And he just so happened to witness the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Hawks in an epic regular-season finale that not only clinched the Niners the NFC West but also secured them the top seed in the conference en route to a Super Bowl appearance.
Granted, Seattle is coming off a Super Bowl victory at Levi's Stadium last February, and its defense remains potent despite some notable free-agent departures.
So, with Clowney's prior association with Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, stemming from their days together with the Baltimore Ravens, it certainly makes sense if the Hawks view the 33-year-old three-time Pro Bowler as a potential free-agent target.
Unless San Francisco gets there first.
49ers may be wise to pluck Jadeveon Clowney away from Seahawks' plans
True, the 49ers have been focusing on getting both younger and cheaper in recent seasons, but the extreme lack of a pass rush last season —a league-low 20 sacks—remains a major question mark facing defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
Getting edge rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams back from ACL tears should help, while the third-round drafting of Romello Height provides Morris with a pure speed rusher on obvious passing downs.
However, there are plenty of depth questions facing the Niners, which is why Fox Sports' Ben Arthur felt Clowney might actually be a better fit with San Francisco:
The Niners could use some insurance behind star edge rusher Nick Bosa (coming off a torn ACL), as their pass rush struggled in 2025 with Bosa missing 14 games. The 33-year-old Clowney, the first pick of the 2014 NFL Draft who's now played for seven teams, has had at least 8.5 sacks in two of his past three seasons.Â
Bosa is expected to be at 100 percent upon his return, but Williams' own recovery is far less certain.
Unless the 49ers are fully convinced Height will be a stud, getting some insurance isn't the worst idea.
Indeed, Clowney's days as an every-down impact player are long in the past, and his role would be little more than a rotational player and depth piece. But, if the Niners were able to both land such a player at the Seahawks' expense, it'd be that much more worthwhile.
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