DE Jadeveon Clowney (6.16.21)
On Day 1 of minicamp:
“It was great. Got to get in and get to know the guys. Put some faces with some names, and get out there and run around with the guys. We had a great first day.”
On the opportunity to play with DE Myles Garrett, who is ‘pretty close to being his athletic equal’:
“It is funny, I have not run into too many guys like that in the National Football League yet. Took me eight years to get here and find another one like that on defense, anyways. It is great. I just know he is going to go out there and do his thing. Knowing the type of guy I am looking at, I know he is going to ball and is going to do his thing so I am excited about that.”
On if he is best when he is able to concentrate on one position or thrives when being able to play multiple positions:
“I thrive in moving around, but I thrive in going forward. You get that? Basically the 4-3 [defense] has been better for me in my rushes over the years. Even in Seattle, I probably had one of my highest rushing-percentage rate when I was going forward the whole game and was not thinking that much. Then in the 3-4, it is a lot more thinking in the 3-4 for the outside linebacker that is in coverage and what is going on around all of the receivers and stuff. Playing upfront, hand in the ground is a lot easier and less thinking.”
On if he is comfortable with moving inside on occasions:
“I am fine with it. I am OK with it. I feel like I can play inside or outside. I do not mind.”
On how he has worked to develop a relationship with Garrett this week:
“The funny thing is me and Myles Garrett had the same agents for the longest – Bus Cook. I got rid of Bus, but I was talking to him during that time. I met his mom during that time so I kind of got the feel of him and it is like I kind of know him a little bit. When I got to talked to him, it was like we were just cool automatically. It was not anything crazy. It was just a relationship that we were just building. It was like, ‘What is up, brother, let’s get this thing going.””
On if he fired up about the Browns DL room:
“For sure. When they put the highlight tape on the other day, I was like ‘Oh, these guys making a lot of plays across the league.’ For them to be on the team with me, I am very excited about the rotation of the group that can rotate and guys can get in. The backups can come in and play just as good as the ones, and that is even better. Anytime you have that going on, you have a good group. Looking forward to it. It reminds me of when I watch San Francisco, the same team a couple of years ago that went to the Super Bowl and that defense, I am thinking we can do that upfront in ways, rotate guys and guys come in and play well.”
On how long it will take for him to fully identify his role in the defense:
“The hope is as soon as possible. Probably training camp. Right now, I am just trying to learn the playbook. They are not throwing too much crazy stuff at us right now. Just trying to get the basic defense installed and not moving guys around. We are just trying to get the basic stuff going. Probably training camp when stuff gets moved around. Putting the pads on, I will be looking forward to seeing how they use everybody, but I am looking forward to it.”
On the Browns DL group having fun at practice:
“The thing about me, I like to have fun no matter what team I go to or where I go. I am an excited guy. I like to have fun. I know it is a job, but I try to say it is football first. I always enjoy playing football and being out there with my teammates. It is not really a job. You all have to know, we have the best job in the world. Why not put a smile on your face when you are out there running around and they pay you for this and I would be playing for free? Yes, I enjoy.”
On how he felt physically yesterday after recovering from a knee injury:
“I think I felt good. I think I proved myself. I was feeling good coming off that knee injury. I have been training extremely hard this offseason so I kind of already have a feel of where I was coming here. I would not have come if I was not healthy. I would have told them the same thing. I felt great coming in, and I feel great now. Hope I can continue that into the next phase and this six-week phase, keep getting stronger and faster and get ready for training camp.”
On early impressions of DT Takkarist McKinley:
“Takk has a high motor. He definitely asks questions. He definitely wants to learn and take your advice and take other people’s advice. Takk is definitely a learning guy who wants to learn the system. With that, he is always going to be thrive and get better if you are willing to learn from other guys. He asks questions so I think he is going to be alright.”
On if it feels different being on his third team in three years or if it is ‘just the next stop on the road to another job’:
“You are asking the question so soon. You never know. I thought the last place was probably have been home, the place before that and the place before that. You just keep playing and see what happens. I enjoyed the last team. I enjoyed the team before that. I am enjoying this one. I just hope this is one leads to something better or this probably will be better for me. We will see what happens. It is early.”
On if the vibe in Cleveland is different from what he expected last year after considering the Browns in free agency in 2020:
“Definitely. This is a good team, and this group of guys they enjoy their self. They are having a good time. They are fun to be around. Everybody is flying around. Everybody is smiling. It is a young team so you all kind of get the idea of what I mean by everybody having a good time and having fun. It is not like work to us here. We like the job. It is like we are having a good time. That can be a good thing for us or it can be a bad thing (laughter). Right now, it is a good thing.”
On if the team feels like it has a family feel to it already:
“It does. It is kind of weird I said that. It is like, ‘What is up with it?’ We already kind of feel like we know each other, and we are not leaving anybody behind. Everybody is picking each other up. ‘Hey, need something over here? If I got you, then I got you. You got me.’ It is one of those things that I continue to roll that through the guys like, ‘hey look, let’s just have each other’s back. Let’s be there for each other. Regardless of we know each other or not, that is what we are going to do.’”
On if he likes sprinting as opposed to hitting at practice during minicamp:
“Funny thing is, I did not have a problem with it. I have been training like I said this offseason. I have been doing a lot of sprints so that kind of was a jog phase to me. You would have to ask the other guys about that.”
On how different it is to rush the passer from inside versus off of the edge:
“It is a lot different. Everything happens quicker down there. You have to get into your rush a lot quick with everything happening, but you are closer to the quarterback so it is a win/lose. It is like everything happens fast, but you are going against a lot of non-athletic guys inside so the matchups are there, and you just take advantage of your matchups. Just trying to win.”
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