The Houston Texans recently placed the franchise tag on linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, but getting a long-term deal done is the plan for the future according to the team's general manager Brian Gaine.
The Texans possess one of the league's most reliable defensive units, and Clowney brings forth a lot of the game-wrecking ability. Clowney is entering his sixth season in the league, and although he is yet to reach a long-term deal, his game began to take off once his health was no longer a concern. The Texans have watched Clowney play his way to three straight Pro Bowls and earned a First Team All-Pro vote in 2016.
It has helped his career a great deal to play alongside J.J. Watt, but Clowney's presence on the opposite side has been significant to the success of defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. Crennel has used Clowney very effectively over the years, and the sack totals have been there for the last two seasons. The Texans have watched their former first overall pick accumulate at least nine sacks in back-to-back next seasons.
Sooner or later the Texans will have to pay their stud linebacker especially after remaining relatively healthy the last three seasons. Since 2016 Clowney has played at a very high level and deserves an extension with the team. There's a lot that goes into a deal like the one the Texans are planning to give Clowney considering how long it took the Dallas Cowboys to reach a deal with Demarcus Lawrence in a similar situation.