DE Ogbo Okoronkwo (8.9.23)
Can you first talk about the fact that you guys lost a couple of good young defensive ends sometime in the early part of the season and just kind of what impact that has on you guys as a room?
“I mean, we’re sad for those guys. We’re hoping to have a speedy recovery, but Coach (Ben) Bloom’s doing a great job with us. We’re confident in everybody in the room, so we’re just going to keep going.”
How pleased have you been with the performance of the defense out here at training camp? Deshaun (Watson) was just saying how you guys give him a lot of trouble.
“I mean, the energy has been great. This new scheme has been very D line friendly, so we’ve been having fun with it. Everybody’s been just meshing well. It’s been good to see.”
Offense, defense has been going head-to-head a lot for you. What does that do for your game when you’re out here?
“Yeah, we love competition. That brings out the best in everybody. If we’re all playing at our best against each other, then we’re going to do great against others.”
How has this Jim Schwartz wide nine up front looked to you as you guys have now gone through a couple of weeks of practices here?
“It’s a ton of fun. It’s almost like sometimes you think, ‘Do I have too much freedom?’ You get to just play at your best and do all the things that accentuate your skill sets the best. So, it’s been really fun.”
Are you eager to see how it all comes together with you guys playing against the Commanders and just seeing how the rotation works and how much pressure you can get?
“Yeah, definitely. We’re ready to go against guys that aren’t on our team for sure.”
How has it been for you – I know it’s not the full picture yet, but getting out there alongside Myles (Garrett) and Za’Darius (Smith) and do you feel already that something is brewing there in terms of your opportunity to get at quarterback?
“Oh, yes. It’s a special group. Just playing with those guys, seeing how they rush the passer. They see how I rush the passer and how it all meshes. It’s been really cool to see and also getting to learn from those guys. They’ve had a lot of success in this league, so anything and any tidbits they can give me, I’m listening.”
What have you picked up from each of them?
“I can’t give that away. I’m sorry.”
Have you and James Hudson kissed and made up?
“Oh, that’s my dog. It was hot out there. Got a little chippy. Competition brings out the best in all of us. So, we put it behind us. Yeah, we put it behind us. That’s my dog. We just had lunch together yesterday. It’s all good.”
You guys talk about more freedom with Jim Schwartz’s scheme and everything. What does more freedom look like for you? How can you kind of take advantage of that?
“Just being able to get off the ball every play. No reading, just attack. Everything is attack and react. So you basically just get off the ball and from there you play. So, it’s been really fun.”
Going back to the freedom thing, have you played in a system where you’ve had this much freedom before, or is this something that’s really new to you and that’s what’s got you so energized?
“Never in my life. Never in my life, but it’s been fun. I guess it’s like you have to just unlearn all the things that you’ve learned to this point, like all the reading. You just got to just let all that go and then just literally just go. Get off the ball.”
This will be your first game playing in the Browns uniform in front of the home fans. What do you think about Friday?
“I’m excited. I’m ready to see the stadium, how loud it can get. I’ve heard a lot of good things, so I’m excited.”
You came on really strong at the end of last season with the Texans. Did something like go off? What happened there? You had five sacks in six games.
“Just more opportunity, that’s all. I was ready when my moment – when my time was called, I was able to play well because I stayed prepared and I’m ready to just keep on elevating.”
So how do you think that helped you going into this situation?
“Just confidence. I know what I can do now. Before I thought I knew what I could do, but when I actually did it just gave me some confidence to be able to just come here and then pick up where I left off.”
With the injuries in your position, I would think we’d see more of Isaiah McGuire. What have you seen out of the rookie so far?
“I love Isaiah. He’s a natural player. He’s really smooth. He has a big body, big frame. He’s going to be a really good player.”
Everyone is waiting to see if Deshaun gets back to that elite level he was in Houston. What have you seen of him out on the practice field that makes you believe that he will?
“Man, that guy, he has an arm. From side throws to deep throws – Deshaun Watson is Deshaun Watson. He definitely was rusty last year. Who wouldn’t be after missing that much ball? But y’all going to see Deshaun Watson football this year for sure.”
Coach (Jason) Tarver) talked yesterday about how the linebacker’s job in this team is to kind of clean up when you guys go in a rush. For you, being a part of that front, for you what does it mean to be able to kind of pull the court down for them and then how important is communication for them? So if they do have to clean up things, they do it.
“I think communication is very important, but at the end of the day, though, we’re not trying to think too much. We’re just trying to go disrupt and let them clean it up. We try to make it as simple as possible.”
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