Former number one overall selection Jadeveon Clowney was widely regarded as the best thing since sliced bread back in 2014. A hulking presence along the South Carolina defensive line, Clowney delivered bone jarring hits and eye-popping athleticism off the edge -- a true marvel of a prospect. But the glory that became associated with Clowney's highlight tapes didn't follow him to the professional level, at least not immediately.

But no longer. Clowney's paid his dues and put in the work -- he's missed just three games since the start of the 2016 NFL season. In the process, he'd developed into an elite run defender and a respectable pass rush presence up front for the Texans. He's logged 24.5 sacks over his last 45 games (since 2016) to go with 53 tackles for loss and another 59 quarterback hits in that same time span.

Not without the grueling process of microfracture surgery on his knee in December of 2014 and several years of honing the technique he never had to draw upon at the college level. That's the blessing and the curse of such a gifted athlete -- often times one doesn't have to learn the technique and deeper rooted meaning behind the position until late in the game. Instead it's much easier to fall back on just being more athletically gifted than the guy across the line of scrimmage.

Is Clowney the elite presence folks thought he could be during his career with the Gamecocks? No -- he's probably come up a bit short of those lofty expectations. But he is an elite run defender and a quality pass rusher -- overall he's one of the top-10 or top-15 best defensive ends in all of football.

And as it just so happens, he's also on the trade market.

But given the circumstances, what does the market look like? It was confirmed on Tuesday that "Clowney Watch 2019" was officially back on with the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles sniffing around Clowney. The stunner? The Dolphins even had a meeting with their leadership and Clowney to help sway him into confidently coming to Miami -- it is reported that Clowney would prefer to go to a competitor in 2019. The news threw football fans everywhere for a loop. Why would the Miami Dolphins, in the midst of a "tank", want to bring in a top-15 pass rusher and give up a draft pick in the process?

And there lies the unique circumstances of Clowney's availability and why exactly a team like the Miami Dolphins would be interested. Remember -- this same Dolphins organization sniffed around on DE Trey Flowers during free agency before eventually bailing out due to the price point. They significantly pondered signing the former New England Patriot and reuniting him with coach Brian Flores. The common thread between the two players? Diversity...but Clowney is better.

Clowney is a unique talent in that for all his explosiveness and his prominence off the edge, he's actually better against the run -- and in playing under defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel for his entire career, you can be rest assured that Clowney would be perfectly at home playing in Brian Flores' multiple front defense. The Dolphins' defensive interior is actually quite promising -- the team drafted Christian Wilkins to pair with young starter Davon Godchaux to give Miami a pair of heavy-handed interior linemen. Outside? Not so much. But the Dolphins have already shown this preseason that their defensive packages are going to feature an "amoeba" front -- in which defenders disguise their gaps, roles and responsibilities to confuse opposing offenses. Jerome Baker has been the primary beneficiary to date. But Miami could benefit from the presence of another busty presence off-ball. And the Texans have given Clowney experience not just as a defender rushing off the edge, but actually rushing off the ball.

The same roles exist with the Dolphins for Clowney to fill, too -- making him a tailor made fit for the team's long-term vision. Remember, while Clowney has been in the NFL since 2014, he's just 26 years old. He won't turn 27 until February.

Isn't that a little old and isn't he a little too costly for a tanking team to trade for in August? - Everyone

No. This is the magic of Clowney's availability -- and why the discussions have progressed this far in the first place. The Miami Dolphins have never been punting on 2019. Rather, the team acknowledged when the regime change happened in South Florida that this team may need to take a few steps backwards before moving forwards...but that there was a new way of doing business in Miami. That new way of business was never purposely sucking and promoting losing a la Sashi Brown and the Cleveland Browns.

Instead, the Dolphins have committed themselves to coveting NFL Draft capital -- much like the New England Patriots. But also like the Patriots, it is now apparent after the first eight months of the Grier/Flores era that the Dolphins will be selective in finding economic decisions to buy low. The Dolphins bought low in trading for the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft (QB Josh Rosen) -- trading the 62nd pick in the draft (plus a late pick) for his services. And in Clowney, the Dolphins have found their next opportunity to buy low relative to market value.

A player of Clowney's caliber should never be on the market, period. He's too disruptive, too explosive, too athletic. Even in his limitations and lack of elite pass rush counters, Clowney is a demon in the front seven who can single handedly wreck plays if you don't account for him properly. And here we are -- Clowney looking for a long-term contract and still yet to sign his 2019 franchise tender with the NFL season two weeks away. With the tender unsigned, Clowney is effectively an exclusive rights free agent -- no one else can touch him, but he's got no where else to go. And with the relationship this fractured, it is a foregone conclusion that Clowney will not be back with the Texans.

Houston knows it. Clowney knows it. You and I know it. And the Dolphins know it. So...where exactly do the Texans go? What can you possibly ask for in return of a player that is on a one year, fully guaranteed contract with no assurances that he's going to sign and play there long-term? The Texans tried to wrestle away a young, rising star in Laremy Tunsil -- but the Dolphins have already told them to kick rocks on that front. Houston's leverage is shot this late into the offseason. And so the compensation comes back to the floor for Houston. If and when Clowney were to walk in free agency, Houston would be facing a late 3rd-round pick as a compensatory pick back...but only in the team didn't spend premium dollars in free agency during the same offseason.

Which means anything above a 4th round pick is guaranteed to be a better return to the Texans than the best case scenario they could possibly hope for if they're stuck in this boat by themselves.

That is why the Miami Dolphins are involved. The team is projected for two 3rd-round picks courtesy of the record setting Ja'Wuan James contract this past offseason (James signed in Denver after 5 years in Miami) and two 2nd-round picks thanks to the trade back from 48 to 62 with New Orleans (remember, the Dolphins eventually turned 62 into Josh Rosen). So for Miami -- a team that isn't really committed to losing, rather just to stop being dumb with money and start exploiting the compensatory pick formula -- to have a surplus of picks already in the value range that could appease the Texans? Miami is wisely kicking the tires on Clowney to decipher just how cheap they can flip for a game changer up front who will hopefully have another 4-6 years left in his physical prime.

Remove the franchise tag situation from the equation here. What exactly is Jadeveon Clowney worth in a vacuum? A 3rd-round pick? Hell no. His production won't leave casual fans in awe because he's "never had a 10-sack season". Who cares? Clowney logged 59 pressures in 2018 according to our friends at Pro Football Focus -- a gaudy number regardless of the fact that J.J. Watt has gobbled up a lot more of the finishes in Houston. Clowney is a more versatile player than DE Dee Ford, who San Francisco traded a 2nd round pick for (while also on the tag) in March. The economics add up for the Dolphins, as does the scheme fit and the team need. And with two 2nd-round picks and two 3rd-round picks, Miami has the picks to target Clowney and still have ample ammunition to be as aggressive as they feel they need to be in April.

The final piece of the puzzle is Miami's desire to offload talent of their own -- the players that don't fit Miami's long-term vision are dropping like flies this week. It just so happens that the Houston Texans have expressed the desire to add another wide receiver. And it just so happens the Texans watched running back Lamar Miller (a former Dolphin) go down with an ACL tear this past weekend -- ending his season prematurely. The Dolphins have been flirting with parting ways with wide receiver Kenny Stills for a little while now and Miami's facing a contract year of their own with running back Kenyan Drake.

Miami is already motivated to offload veteran players at positions of need for Houston.

So let's recap.

The Dolphins are not looking to tank. The Dolphins are instead committed to making more responsible, forward thinking investments. With that said, the Dolphins do understand their new philosophy may result in a step back before moving forward. The team covets draft picks -- not because they plan to lose and pick highly, but because they serve as poker chips and investment opportunities for buy low opportunities like we saw them attack in QB Josh Rosen...and potentially here with DE Jadeveon Clowney.

Jadeveon Clowney has spent his entire career in Romeo Crennel's defense -- another New England disciple...just like Miami's new head coach Brian Flores.

Clowney is available for a glaringly low value on the trade market because of his status as an unsigned franchise player whose relationship with Houston appears fractured beyond repair.

The Dolphins have a surplus of Day 2 draft selections (4 total; two in each round) that can be used to provide the Texans with a better return than the best case they could possibly hope for if they're isolated in resolving the Clowney standoff on their own. Even in moving one of these selections, the Dolphins will have ample Draft capital to manipulate the draft board as they feel necessary should they be compelled to attack a certain prospect (quarterback or otherwise).

The Texans have notable roster needs and desires at positions that the Dolphins have contract year players or players who are not a part of their continued plans (wide receiver and running back) -- and more importantly the Dolphins are not being shy about cutting weight off the roster.

This all adds up to an unconventional result for the average fan. The Miami Dolphins, a team tabbed as the tankers of 2019, are the perfect candidate to make a move for Jadeveon Clowney. And his potential acquisition does nothing to compromise the Dolphins' plan or methodology to building the roster. Quite the contrary.