If the Detroit Lions are still seeking pass-rush help, ESPN has an idea.
Matt Bowen, an NFL and fantasy football writer for ESPN, on Monday identified the “ideal landing spots” for 14 remaining free agents, pairing the Lions with veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney tallied 8½ sacks in 13 games (six starts) last season for the Dallas Cowboys, his seventh team in a 12-season NFL career. The 33-year-old Clowney, a former No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, has 66½ career sacks, twice reaching a career high of 9½, in 2017 and 2023 with the Texans and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.
He is a three-time Pro Bowler, all while with the Texans, from 2016-18.
“Detroit drafted edge rusher Derrick Moore in the second round to play opposite Aidan Hutchinson on pass-rushing downs,” Bowen writes, “but Clowney would provide more depth up front. He had 8½ sacks and 32 pressures last season in 13 games for the Cowboys, winning late in the down to get to the quarterback. Clowney would provide rotational value for coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s unit.”
The Lions actually traded up to land Moore, moving up six spots to take the Michigan product at No. 44 overall. It was one of a number of moves the Lions have made this offseason to bolster its pass-rushing ranks, led by the signing DJ Wonnum in free agency. The Lions also signed Payton Turner and added edge Tyre West in the draft, work that earned an A-minus from our Lions crew when assessing Detroit’s ability this offseason to address needs.
Also on Bowen’s list is former Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who sought and was granted his release this offseason after 10 seasons in Detroit. Bowen has Decker, who turns 33 in August, matched up with the Miami Dolphins.
“Decker had an 89.3% pass block win rate in 2025 with Detroit, the second-lowest rate of his 10-year career,” Bowen writes. “If he can prove to be healthy, however, he has the toughness and intangibles to win a starting role with most NFL teams.”
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lions could be ‘ideal’ fit for edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, ESPN writes
Reporting by Daren Tomhave, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
