The Carolina Panthers are releasing pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Thursday.
The three-time Pro Bowler’s future with the Panthers has been in question since general manager Dan Morgan was noncommittal when asked whether Clowney was part of Carolina’s 2025 plans during the NFL Draft.
Fowler noted Clowney was due more than $8 million in salary, including $2 million in guaranteed money. Carolina explored trade options during draft week and emphasized looking for pass rushers, per ESPN.
Clowney was due $8.525M in salary, $2M of which is guaranteed. Panthers explored a potential trade on draft week, as @DNewtonespn previously mentioned, and went heavy on pass rushers on Day 2 of draft.
Three-time Pro Bowler now a free agent. https://t.co/kx0vkLFlr5
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 8, 2025
After failing to find a trade destination, Clowney is now a free agent.
Clowney was entering the final season of a two-year, $20 million deal signed with the Panthers last offseason. He tallied 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks in his lone campaign in Carolina.
The South Carolina product was the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and spent his first five seasons with the Houston Texans before bouncing around to several teams.
Clowney had one-year stints in Seattle and Tennessee before two seasons in Cleveland. He then made a pit stop in Baltimore before landing in Charlotte.
Over his 11-year career, Clowney has 409 tackles, 58 sacks, a touchdown and an interception in 140 games.
