The Houston Texans have used the franchise tag on defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, but the latter has yet to sign it. Clowney has until Nov. 12 to sign the franchise tag tender or he will be ineligible for the 2019 season. The franchise tag’s value is also an issue for Clowney because the money that he stands to receive will depend on his position. Clowney is a hybrid defensive player and if the Texans listed him as a defensive end, he will make $17.13 million from the franchise tag. If the Texans listed him as a linebacker, he would only earn $15.44 million.

As of now, Clowney has no plan of signing the franchise tag because he wants a long-term deal from the Texans, who drafted him No. 1 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old Clowney has 29 career sacks for the Texans. If Clowney’s holdout continues, the Texans have no other choice but to trade him to another team willing to absorb his $16 million salary-cap space.

Patriots a possible destination for Clowney

While there are many teams interested in Clowney, the Texans would not trade him to an AFC South rivals like the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News, in his report, said the New England Patriots could be one of the possible landing spots for Clowney.

The Patriots are in need of a dependable defensive end after they lost Trey Flowers, who signed a five-year contract worth $90 million with the Detroit Lions in the offseason. Iyer mentioned that the Texans have a strong connection with the Patriots through head coach Bill O’Brien and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. With the help of O’Brien and Crennel, the Patriots could reach a deal with the Texans by offering some of their 14-total draft picks for 2020.

Iyer said the Patriots could release one or two players to create additional salary cap room for Clowney. As of now, the Patriots have a salary cap room of almost $13 million. If ever, Clowney will be a good addition to the Patriots' defense, who recently drew praise from veteran quarterback Tom Brady.

Belichick issues statement on Gordon’s reinstatement

The Patriots’ depleted wide receiving corps received a much-awaited positive development with the reinstatement of Josh Gordon. According to the NFL, Gordon will be eligible to rejoin the Patriots and participate in team meetings and workouts starting Sunday. Gordon may also attend the Patriots’ Aug. 22 game but he will not be eligible to play because of lack of preparation. The announcement was a welcome development for the Patriots, who have lost several of their wide receivers to injury during training camp. However, head coach Bill Belichick, in a statement, said the coaching staff will “evaluate the entire situation and do what we feel is best for Josh and the team." In the past, Belichick has refused to comment about Gordon’s situation, saying it’s entirely a league matter. Last season, Gordon caught 40 passes for 720 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games before he was suspended indefinitely for violating the terms of his reinstatement.
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