BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Jadeveon Clowney has put on quite the show early in training camp and has become the team’s leading ‘bone collector’ – a daily award of points given by defensive coordinator Joe Woods for wreaking the most havoc during practice each day.
On Tuesday, Baker Mayfield was saved by his orange QB off limits jersey as Clowney spent plenty of time introducing himself to No. 6 after he abused veteran right tackle Jack Conklin on his way into the backfield.
“When you are healthy, you have a lot of fun,” Clowney said. “When you have been playing for seven years and I have been dealing with injuries seven years, it is kind of not fun being out there, but when you are taking care of your body, you are in good health and you know what you love.
“It’s fun and exciting to be out there moving around and feeling good.”
For the first time in a long time, Clowney is healthy during camp and the 28-year-old, who was limited to eight games with the Titans in 2020 after suffering a torn meniscus, is able to prepare properly for the upcoming season.
“I don’t think I’ve reached my potential,” Clowney said. “Every time I get going, I get hurt and something happens. I’ve fallen back and taken time off. Hopefully, this year I just keep going up and getting better.”
It hasn’t taken anyone long to see the impact he will have playing opposite of Myles Garrett this season.
“He has been disruptive certainly in the run and the pass game,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He is a long athlete with power. He and Jack Conklin, that is two pros going at each other. It is fun to watch. I think he is fitting into what we are doing and who we are. This is the first time at length he is around his teammates. I think he is assimilating well.”
With Clowney getting a day to rest, Wednesday’s winner will likely be Garrett, who feasted throughout practice working against left tackle Jedrick Wills.
“He’s basically unstoppable,” Clowney said. “Good luck to the tackles out there. I’m just happy to be on the same side as Myles, because I think it’s going to help me out this year.”
DPJ for camp MVP – It’s getting awfully difficult not to get excited about Donovan Peoples-Jones.
It’s training camp, and perspective is required, but the 2020 sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan is filling up the highlight reel.
Wednesday, Peoples-Jones made arguably the play of camp when he hauled in a 70-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield and turned on the after burners, leaving cornerback A.J. Green and the rest of the secondary in the dust as he raced up the near sideline.
What’s been most impressive about Peoples-Jones has been his consistency. He’s making plays daily and as a result showing the coaching staff that he’s ready for a bigger role this season.
Getting’ Greedy – Greedy Williams’ comeback continues.
Wednesday the third-year corner got some reps in team 11-on-11 work but the Browns continue to be careful with all of their players coming off injuries as to not overextend them during camp.
Shoeless walk throughs – During walk throughs many players are shoeless, or in flip flops, and it’s by design.
Just the thought of a Browns player on the field without shoes recalls the nightmare scenario that unfolded in 2008 when a shoeless Braylon Edwards got stepped on.
The foot injury set in motion a cataclysmic series of events that led to that season’s demise, which like this one, began with lofty expectations.
Back to this year. Wednesday Stefanski explained his reasoning for encouraging his players to not wear football footware.
“It is basically do not be in cleats. It is either be in flips flops or socks or barefoot – I do not really care – or sneakers,” Stefanski said. “The idea is just to slow the pace down. You can say walkthrough, and guys get competitive and they want to go fast. I just want to make sure we are smart when we are walking through and that we are truly walking through. Now, some guys have some interesting foot [wear] choices out here, but that is up to them.”
Hang time – Punter Jamie Gillan, AKA ‘The Scottish Hammer,’ got some extended special teams work in 11-on-11 Wednesday punting to returners and working on situational kicking.
Just for fun, we charted his hang times and here are some unofficial results: 4.21, 4.17, 3.95, 3.82, 4.43, 4.18, 4.89, 5.72 and 4.75 seconds.
Birthday celebration – Linebacker Mack Wilson had a pretty good reason for missing Wednesday’s practice – the birth of his son, Mack Wilson II.
Injury report – LB Tony Fields II (foot), RB Tre Harbison (concussion), S Ronnie Harrison Jr.
(hamstring), S Sheldrick Redwine (ankle), WR Anthony Schwartz (hamstring), LB Anthony Walker Jr. (knee) did not practice. WR Alexander Hollins left practice early (hamstring).
Puppy pound counter – Five puppies were adopted Wednesday bringing the 2021 camp total to 27. Since the program’s launch in 2015, 599 puppies from the Northeast Ohio Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) have been adopted by Browns fans.
Up next – Off day Thursday, camp resumes Friday afternoon at 2:25.