Jadeveon Clowney's long-term future is still uncertain. Next season, though, the star defender will almost surely remain with the Houston Texans.

The team announced on Monday that it has placed the franchise tag on Clowney, with the hope of inking him to a multi-year contract before 2019.

“Today, we have placed the franchise tag on Jadeveon Clowney, but our goal is to continue to work with his representation on a long-term contract,” Texans general manager Brian Gaine said in a statement. “This gives us both an opportunity to continue to do so.”

Clowney would have been a free agent this offseason had the Texans not designated him as their franchise player. They had previously picked up the fifth year option on his rookie contract, preventing him from reaching the open market last spring.

The former number one overall pick enjoyed perhaps the best season of his career in 2018, finishing with 47 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks, 21 quarterback hits, and three fumble recoveries.

Clowney was ranked 32nd in the player-voted Top 100 Players of 2018, and Pro Football Focus ranked him as the ninth-best edge defender in the NFL, an acknowledgment of his ability to affect the game without getting after the quarterback.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Texans owner Cal McNair

Benjamin Adducchio ·

This is hardly a surprising development of Clowney's first foray into free agency.

The three-time Pro Bowler been earmarked as one of the top three edge defenders in the 2019 free agent class for months, and Houston never had plans to let him walk away to a competitor.

Clowney would undoubtedly prefer a long-term contract from the jump, but he'll now have the chance to negotiate one with the Texans without the team having to worry about him being courted by others.