The deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign a long-term contract will come at 4 p.m. Monday. By all indications, the Houston Texans will not extend such a contract to pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney. Assuming he reports to the team at some point before Week 1 in September, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft will make just under $1 million per game this year under the tag.
It's not a perfect solution—playing on a one-year deal won't sit well with the 26-year-old, and there are already reports that Clowney will sit out most (if not all) of training camp and possibly the preseason.