Clowney expects to stay healthy, build on 2023 after joining Panthers

New Carolina Panthers pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney played with a chip on his shoulder last season and posted one of the best years of his career after multiple injury-plagued campaigns.

The 2014 No. 1 pick, who revived his career on the Baltimore Ravens last year, now wants to prove he has more left in the tank in his age-31 season.

"That was very important, really for myself because I already knew I could play the game and make plays," Clowney said Friday about his 2023 campaign, according to ESPN's David Newton. "I tell people all the time if I play in 16, 17 games, it's going to look like a Pro Bowl season. That's all I got to do, is just be out there playing.

"I know I can make the plays no matter what team I'm on. I've just got to be available and take care of myself. The older I get, the more I figure out how to stay healthier."

Known for his solid run defense, Clowney tied a career high with 9.5 sacks last year while playing a full season for the first time since 2017. He also had 19 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.

Clowney joined Baltimore during the 2023 offseason and decided to start a new personal chapter by changing his jersey number after a disappointing 2022 season on the Cleveland Browns. The South Carolina product picked No. 24 after wearing No. 90 for most of his career, and he thinks the decision paid off.

"That was my Kobe Bryant year - the return of the killer," said Clowney. "I said Kobe because when I was in Cleveland, a lot of stuff happened my last year there when I didn't have my best season."

In Carolina, Clowney plans to wear No. 7, the same number he wore in high school and college.

The Panthers will be the sixth team of Clowney's career after the Houston Texans (2014-18), Seattle Seahawks (2019), Tennessee Titans (2020), Browns (2021-22), and Ravens (2023).