Jadeveon Clowney Contract 'Absolutely' Eyed by Cowboys' Stephen Jones in NFL FA

Jadeveon Clowney has had a solid first season in Dallas, and now the Cowboys are hoping to bring the veteran defensive end back in free agency.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team "absolutely" wants to re-sign Clowney in free agency.

"He's played at a very high level. ... We'll be talking with his guys right away," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (h/t The Athletic's Jon Machota). "... Hopefully with his willingness to want to be here and us wanting him to be here, hopefully we can figure something out."

Clowney signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Cowboys in September after going unsigned this offseason, playing his first game with the team in Week 4. In 12 contests, the former No. 1 overall pick has logged 35 tackles, 5.5 sacks and three passes defended. His strong play has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a rough year for Dallas defensively.

The Cowboys, who have been eliminated from playoff contention for the second year in a row, have plenty of work to do to improve their defense heading into next season, but retaining a key player like Clowney would be a big step.