Clowney a perfect Browns fit; they seem to need each other

Let’s start with Jadeveon Clowney, who is re-signing with the Browns.

The Browns needed Clowney and, while Clowney might not have needed the Browns quite as much, it sure seems like he knows a good match when he sees one.

Clowney turned 29 in February, a little surprising he’s still so young considering he was the top pick in 2014. It’s also surprising because Clowney has had his share of injuries and the Browns are his fourth team. This is the first time he will play backto-back years with one franchise since Houston traded him prior to the 2019 season.

He didn’t do a ton of media last year, but when he did, he sounded like a person who had found a place where he could be content, a place that didn’t tax him physically. Last summer marked his first training camp since his Texans days and he seemed to appreciate how the Browns worked with him.

“If I’m feeling good, I’m going to go out there and practice,” Clowney said last August. “If I’m not, I’m going to let them know and hopefully they’ll deal with it accordingly.”

The Browns, for their part, couldn’t go into the season with their edge rush position opposite Myles Garrett in the state it was in. Counting on rookies like Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas to do what Clowney did a season ago for a team trying to win the Super Bowl would have been a big ask.

Chase Winovich is intriguing, but is more intriguing in the Takk McKinley role than the Clowney role.

They also get Clowney on the right deal, a one-year pact at $11 million. Just like last season, they carry little longterm financial risk. Clowney could also parlay back-to-back strong seasons into one last multi-year deal with a good chunk of guaranteed money.

We’ll see if Clowney hangs around for OTAs, which kicked off Tuesday in Berea and run the next three weeks leading up to mandatory minicamp in the middle of June.

Clowney or not, here are 5 things I’m watching over the next few weeks:

1. Deshaun Watson throwing to Browns receivers

Watson has been participating in the offseason program from the beginning, but so far we’ve only been treated to team-produced photos and videos. We get the full picture today and get to see Watson throwing to Browns players for the first time.

It’s not just the throwing. It’s also how he interacts with his teammates and carries himself and how his teammates respond to him. These limited windows are all about the little things and Watson, if his trip to the Bahamas for the offense is any indication, appears to be acclimating well to his new home and team.

2. Who plays nickel?

As with everything, training camp will be more telling, but when we get glimpses of the full defense, which players get opportunities in the slot?

Will Greg Newsome II get an opportunity to work inside after cross training there last season and playing a fair amount of slot when Troy Hill, since traded, was injured?

What about Martin Emerson Jr.? Does he play mostly on the outside or does he get work in the slot?

Then there are other players like A.J. Green, a former undrafted free agent who played well last year and could certainly benefit his chances of staying on the roster by showing he is able to play both inside and out.

3. Anthony Schwartz’s second chance

Schwartz struggled from the jump last year, dropping passes during rookie minicamp and then getting bit by the injury bug. His rookie season never quite got going, so any opportunity to see him in Year 2 matters.

Schwartz didn’t get much opportunity to show off his sprinter speed and it would be encouraging to see him open up a little this spring and look like one of the fastest players on the field.

4. How quickly does Perrion Winfrey rise?

Again, this is something training camp will reveal more than spring football, but the early days of this phase of the offseason program are helpful in putting the rookies we saw at minicamp against veteran players who have been in NFL systems and buildings and weight programs.

Winfrey was one of the stars of the Browns’ draft, but he is also a fourth-round pick, so it’s OK to temper expectations early. As the process plays out over the spring, let’s see where and when Winfrey lines up among a wide-open position group.

5. Where does Demetric Felton work?

Felton was a wide receiver last season — even if the roster said differently — and until he starts spending most of his time with the running backs, let’s call him what he is. So naturally this is something to keep an eye on early in OTAs.

Is Felton going through drills under the watchful eye of running backs coach Stump Mitchell for most of practice or is he standing in line with the likes of Amari Cooper, David Bell and Donovan Peoples-Jones waiting for his reps?