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Odds Say Jadeveon Clowney Will Play Week 1, Holdout Won’t Extend Into Regular Season

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NFL Football

Updated Apr 9, 2020 · 8:51 AM PDT

Jadeveon Clowney on sideline.
Sportsbooks are offering a prop wager on whether Houston Texans defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney will play Week 1 of the NFL season. Clowney insists he will report to the team after the third preseason game. Photo by Jeffrey Beall (Wikimedia Commons) [CC License].
  • Sportsbooks are offering a prop wager on whether Houston Texans DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney will play Week 1 of the NFL season
  • Yes is given the favored odds at -250
  • Clowney has indicated that he will report to the team following Houston’s third preseason game

If published reports are accurate, then sportsbooks are handing you a gift of a wager.

They’re offering a prop wager on whether defensive standout Jadeveon Clowney will report to the Houston Texans in time to play Week 1 of the NFL regular season. The defensive end/outside linebacker is currently a training-camp holdout.

Will Jadeveon Clowney Play for Houston Texans in Week 1 of NFL Regular Season?

Outcome Odds
Yes -250
No +170

*All odds taken 8/6/19

According to reports from NFL.com, Clowney has indicated that he will report to the Texans following their third preseason game.

Franchise Tag

Without a new contract, the Texans hung the franchise player tag on Clowney during the offseason. He skipped the spring organized team activities and so far is a no-show for training camp.

Under the terms of the NFL CBA, when the two sides were unable to reach agreement on a new deal by July 15, Clowney was locked into a one-year pact worth $15.97 million.

As long as Clowney reports in time to play all of the regular-season games, he won’t miss a single game check. He could become a free agent on March 20, 2020, although the Texans would have the option to once again use the franchise tag on him.

Clowney Doesn’t Clown Around

On the football field, Clowney, 26, is a difference maker for the defending AFC South Division champion Texans.

Selected first overall by the Texans in the 2014 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-5, 255-pounder from South Carolina creates game-changing outcomes from the defensive side of the ball.

In 2015, he recorded six pass deflections. In each of the past two seasons he’s recovered three fumbles, scoring a touchdown off one fumble recovery in both 2017 and 2018.

Jadeveon Clowney NFL Career Stats

Season Games Tackles Sacks QB Hits Pass Deflections Fumble Recoveries Touchdowns
2014 4 7 0 0 0 0 0
2015 13 40 4.5 8 6 0 0
2016 14 52 6 17 2 0 0
2017 16 59 9.5 21 2 3 1
2018 15 47 9 21 1 3 1

Together with fellow defensive end J.J. Watt, they terrorize opposition offenses. Last season, Watts and Clowney combined for 25 sacks and eight forced fumbles.

This Seems Like Easy Money

On the surface, there doesn’t appear to be any acrimony between the Texans and Clowney. Clearly, he’s unhappy with being franchised and by the inability to reach any sort of long-term contractual agreement. He’s expressed his displeasure by withholding his services, albeit from OTAs and training camp.

If Clowney arrives after the Texans play preseason game number three against the cross-state Dallas Cowboys, as a result, he’d have an entire week to prepare for the start of the real games. All accounts are that he’s in top condition.

NFLers are left with a short window of opportunity to earn money, and very little of that money comes in the form of guaranteed salary. In other words, he’s not going to walk away from any piece of nearly $16 million.

Therefore, why wouldn’t you bet “Yes” in this scenario?

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