The longer Jadeveon Clowney sits in free agency, the more likely it is he won't be back with the Dallas Cowboys in 2026. If Jerry Jones wanted to extend him, he'd be back by now, but it looks like the Cowboys are set to find his replacement with one of their first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But as a Wave 2 spike looms following the draft, Clowney may not be stuck in free agency much longer. Many of the contending teams that fail to add edge talent in the draft will be calling him up about joining them in the coming weeks, but unfortunately, one team could stand out as a favorite.
While finding the perfect landing spots for top available free agents, CBS Sports' Garrett Podell pinpointed the San Francisco 49ers as the perfect spot for the former No. 1 pick. They already landed Osa Odighizuwa from Dallas, so what's the harm in bringing in another former Cowboys' defender?
Dallas Cowboys fans would be upset to lose Jadeveon Clowney to a hated rival
Losing Clowney is one thing, but losing him to one of your biggest rivals is a whole different level of pain. Even at the ripe age of 33, Clowney proved he can he a quality contributor with an 8.5-sack campaign in just 13 games after Dallas brought him in to fill a hole after the Micah Parsons trade.
Podell noted the 49ers badly need edge help, and it doesn't seem like they're too involved with Joey Bosa despite the familial connection. So the South Carolina product could be an option, and likely one at a cheaper price, for a San Francisco team that hired Raheem Morris to turn things around.
The three-time Pro Bowler has 23.5 sacks across his last three seasons, so pairing him up with Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams as they recover from season-ending injuries could spiral into disaster in Dallas, especially since the Cowboys have yet to make any notable moves to fix their own pass rush.
No Cowboys fan forgets the Niners knocking us out of the playoffs in 2021 and 2022, so him joining a 49ers' unit that ranked dead last in sacks in 2025 would hurt. The rivalry has been around for far too long, so as another top contender in the NFC, this isn't a team Dallas wants to face in the postseason.
Podell also floated the Cowboys as a top landing spot for Bobby Wagner, which has been done a million times before, yet still doesn't make his Clowney prediction any less unbearable. Most fans would like to see him return still, so hopefully the Niners take an edge early in the 2026 draft instead.