Jadeveon Clowney has had an impressive fast start with the Browns. He was awarded with his first day off on Wednesday (TheLandOnDemand)
A healthy Jadeveon Clowney is a very happy Clowney
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from Day 7 of Browns training camp …
What’s behind Jadeveon Clowney’s fast start in training camp with the Browns, his fourth team in four years?
Health is the biggest part of it. Just being in a training camp is something Clowney loves but hasn’t been able to experience recently because of repeated injury rehabs.
“It’s been a while, a few years now since I’ve been at a training camp. I’ve been looking forward to it,” Clowney said.
“I’m happy about it because I hated jumping into a season Week 1 and just putting the pads on and hitting. So I can get out here get my hands going, getting back in tune with my body, knowing the playbook. So it’s very good to get out here and get going.”
On the first day with full pads on Tuesday, Clowney was the star of the day as the defense ruled. On Wednesday, Clowney got his first day off. Not surprisingly, the offense had a better day.
Clowney is completely recovered from a meniscus surgery to his left knee that cut short his 2020 season with Tennessee after eight games. He looks rejuvenated from a career of assorted injuries that have prevented the 2014 No. 1 overall draft choice of the Houston Texans from realizing his potential. In seven NFL seasons,
Clowney has missed a total of 29 games because of injuries to knees, back, hip, and core muscle.
“Started off with the worst injury I could possibly think of, with the microfracture [surgery after his rookie year when regular surgery didn’t work],” he said. “I’ve just been getting better as I get healthy. [I’ve had] probably the best offseason I’ve had, so I’m looking for a big year. With the guys around me, I think that could happen.
“I think when you’re healthy you have a lot of fun. I’ve been dealing with injuries for seven years. It’s kind of not fun being out there. But when you’re taking care of your body and get healthy, doing what you love, I think it’s fun and exciting to be out there. I’m moving around feeling good.”
A lot has been made about the havoc that could be generated by Clowney in tandem with All-Pro right end Myles Garrett. But Clowney made a big point about the interior of the Browns’ line being a key factor in the success of the defense and in his own personal season.
“I always thought it was about the two ends,” Clowney said. “I always said you gotta have someone opposite you to be great. But I think now you have to have someone beside you to be great.
“The D-tackles make a big presence in the National Football League … if you don’t have no middle presence it ain’t gonna do nothing. You can step up and make the pass. It’s not going to be about me and Myles. It’s gonna be about those guys in the middle that bring it, like Malik Jackson.”
Clowney feels the Browns have as much talent as any defense he’s been on, and he included the secondary as a key component, also.
All of which is why he is expecting a big year for himself and for the Browns.
“I don’t think I’ve reached my potential yet,” Clowney said. “Every time I get going, I get hurt. Something happens, and I have to fall back or take something off. Hopefully this year I’ll just keep going.
“I think we’re going to be dangerous for any team in the league. I’m pretty sure [other teams] know that, too. We’re going to keep getting better and stay together and stay healthy.”
Catch up time
Rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah said he prepared for his return to the field from a 10-day Covid isolation by doing virtual walk-throughs in the house he is staying.
“I had the play sheets, so I’d do them when the team [was] actually doing their walk throughs,” he said.
He said he’d use fruits and dumbbells to position the full team on the floor and then “kind of moved formations around, making sure I’m lined up right, things like that.”
Owusu-Koramoah said he put the isolation period to good use by also being able to spend more time on the playbook and film study. But he really missed being able to hit somebody.
“That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to, in terms of physicality, in terms of aggressiveness. To be able to display that and show the team what I can do,” he said.
Coach Kevin Stefanski is not expecting JOK to dazzle right away after missing the team’s first five practices. But the rookie did get in some snaps with the backups in team drills on Wednesday.
“It’s going to take time for anybody coming back and missing time. He’s getting extra work in,” the coach said.
Brownie bits
With Clowney getting a breather, the offense had a better day on the second day in a row with full pads. Baker Mayfield spread the ball around to a lot of receivers, but the one guy standing out again was Donovan Peoples-Jones, who beat cornerback A.J. Green on a go route down the right sideline and hauled in Mayfield’s pass for a touchdown, pleasing the fans in the nearby grandstand …
The ranks at safety were thinner than ever. Ronnie Harrison (hamstring) and Grant Delpit (Achilles surgery) were kept out again, and John Johnson (illness) missed his first practice. Also missing were receiver Anthony Schwartz (hamstring), Takk McKinley (illness) and tight end Austin Hooper (illness). Linebacker Mack Wilson was excused for personal reasons …
Free agent running back Tre Harbison is out with a concussion after a freak collision pn Tuesday …
Owusu-Koramoah revealed that defensive coaches hand out a “bone collector” award each day to the defender that wreaks the most havoc. He said coaches use a point system for sacks, turnovers, and other big plays. Clowney won it on Tuesday. Candidates on Wednesday looked to be Garrett and safety Jovante Moffatt …
Why do the Browns conduct their walk-throughs prior to the main practice while barefoot or in socks or flip-flops? It’s not exactly a time for fun and frolic. “The idea is to just slow the pace down,” Stefanski said. “You can say walk-through, but guys get competitive and they want to go fast. I just want to make sure we’re truly walking through.” …
Although they are in pads, there is no live tackling to the ground just yet. “We’ll see,” Stefanski said. “It’s something we talk about. We tackle every day in a drill setting. But we want to see where we are the next few days before we make that determination.” The coach will confer with Giants coach Joe Judge about the ground rules of tackling, etc., when the teams have joint practices later this month. By the way, those sessions – which probably will be at the peak of camp -- are not open to the public.
