Jadeveon Clowney, Texans Reportedly Making Progress on 'Mega' Contract Extension

The Houston Texans and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney are reportedly making "a lot of progress" toward an agreement on a new contract.

On Thursday, Albert Breer of The MMQB reported the advanced talks on what he termed a "mega-extension" that will provide the foundation for future deals for the Oakland Raiders' Khalil Mack and Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald.

Clowney, 25, is coming off the best statistical season of his four-year NFL career. He racked up 59 combined tackles, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles while playing all 16 regular-season games for the first time.

Pro Football Focus graded him as the league's No. 13 edge defender.

With his production on the rise and the injury issues that plagued him early in his time with Houston in the rear-view mirror, both sides have expressed interest in a long-term extension.

Texans general manager Brian Gaine discussed the situation in January, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle:

"It's certainly on the horizon. Right now, I'm in an evaluative period in terms of studying the roster and studying the team and learning the players in terms of how they performed. So, that requires 16-game film study, it requires a lot of other research and knowledge that I'm trying to gain right now, but certainly a player that's valued by the Texans organization, and in time, as we go through that process, we'll arrive to that conclusion."

Last week, Clowney told Wilson he's hoping to stay with Houston until the day he retires.

"I want to be here, too. I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully they lock me in and I'll be here forever," he said. "It would mean a lot, something I've always dreamed of. I want to finish my career here."

Clowney is set to make $12.3 million in 2018 (via Spotrac) after the Texans exercised the fifth-year option in his rookie contract. He'd become a free agent next offseason if no extension is reached and Houston doesn't utilize the franchise tag on him, though that's an unlikely scenario.