Houston Texans' Jadeveon Clowney on mend, sits out OTAs

A knee injury prevented Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney from participating in organized team activities on Tuesday.

Clowney still is rehabbing from arthroscopic knee surgery after the season, according to the Houston Chronicle. The procedure forced him to skip the Pro Bowl.

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound Clowney received a second opinion on his knee from noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews and the outlook was positive, the newspaper reported, citing league sources.

The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Clowney and the Texans are trying to work out a long-term contract extension.

Clowney is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2018 for a salary of $12.3 million. He earned $7 million last season. Both the team and Clowney have expressed a desire to get a new deal done.

"I want to be here, too," Clowney said. "Hopefully, they lock me in. I want to be here forever. I know it will come soon. It would mean a lot."

Clowney battled injuries in his first two NFL seasons and played in his first 16-game season in 2017.

Even though Clowney's 15.5 sacks are tied for 23rd among NFL players since the beginning of the 2016 season, he has 37 tackles for loss, second to Arizona Cardinals defensive end Chandler Jones.