Myles Garrett happy Jadeveon Clowney is back with Browns: 'I told him to get his ass here'
BEREA — Myles Garrett expressed his desire for a reunion late last season in news conferences and posted on social media this offseason to keep the pressure on Jadeveon Clowney, but behind the scenes, the recruiting pitch was more blunt.
“I told him to get his ass here. That was about it,” Garrett said after Wednesday's organized team activity practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus.
Clowney agreed May 22 to re-sign with the Browns on a one-year contract worth as much as $11 million with incentives. The deal came more than two months after Clowney became an unrestricted free agent March 16 and ensured he would have a second season to partner with fellow defensive end Garrett.
“We were probably the best duo in the league as far as getting pressure, not always completing the play,” Garrett said. “I know teams like to get it out a little bit quick against us, but trying to put pressure on them, getting hands up, just his athleticism, the wingspan, causing guys trouble, it's a special combo, and if he comes back in shape, I think we’ll be able to do something really, really special this year as well.”
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Defensive coordinator Joe Woods said there is an unspoken competition between Clowney and Garrett because they're former No. 1 overall draft picks. Each of them wants to make the greatest impact on the game with sacks, tackles for loss and other types of splash plays.
“I don't know if you call them Batman and Robin or Batman and Batman, but just to have that counterpart opposite of Myles, when you go against offenses, they're going to have to respect both defensive ends, so all of the attention doesn't go to Myles,” Woods said. “Coming back in the second season, I know Jadeveon is going to have a full understanding of our defense and what we're going to ask him to do. We also like to move those guys around, so I know he's very comfortable. I saw him briefly when he came back and signed his contract, but we're all excited to have him back in the building.”
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Clowney appeared in 14 of 17 Browns games last season and tallied 37 tackles, with nine sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed. He was voted a Pro Bowl alternate.
Garrett played all 17 games and finished the 2021 season ranked third in the NFL with a career-high 16 sacks to go along with 33 quarterback hits, 51 tackles, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection and second first-team All-Pro nod.
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Woods conceded he “was a little bit nervous” about whether Clowney would re-sign with the Browns, but Garrett felt strongly Clowney loved playing with him and wanted their alliance to remain intact.
“I get doubled and he gets a single [block], and then he gets about 2 or 2½ [sacks], and I say ‘Well, that’s my time,’” Garrett said. “So I go to the left side, and I start feasting. So we kind of just work out what’s going on, how the team’s trying to attack us, whether they want to help this guy a lot or they don’t want to help him.
“Sometimes my stuff isn't always what that guy is giving. That's not always his weakness. I feel like I can beat most guys, but if he's having more success, then I go over there, and I'll take on the double. I’ll fight through that and make a play, and he can have that one on one and do the same.”
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Myles Garrett hopes to get Jadeveon Clowney to join him next week at OTAs
Garrett and Clowney apparently communicate better on the field than off it. When Clowney struck the deal to return, Garrett said he heard the news through his agent, not his teammate.
“I think he was really excited about the Cleveland weather and playing in that again for another year,” Garrett joked. “So other than that, I think there's just communication, just the like-mindedness, what we want to want to do, what we want to achieve and where we really think we can go this year. I think he's all on board with that.”
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Clowney participated in voluntary OTAs last week, but he's absent this week. Garrett was absent last week, but he's at OTAs this week.
Garrett revealed he'll take most of the defense to Miami on Thursday for team-bonding time and workouts lasting a few days. He said all of the D-line would be there, and he hopes to get Clowney to OTAs next week, too.
“He should be here next week,” Garrett said. “We'll see about that. I might get him on a flight.”
If recent history is any indication, Garrett will likely feel comfortable delivering a blunt message.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett happy Jadeveon Clowney is back
