Winovich bullish on trade to the Browns
When Chase Winovich spoke to the Buchtel football team last month, he urged the players to view the new synthetic turf field the Browns had donated to the Akron school as a symbol of the belief the community has in them.
He contrasted that with his own experience.
“Every step of the way, everybody told me what I couldn’t do, what I couldn’t become,” Winovich said, “and every step of the way, I used that as an opportunity to show them what I could be, what I could do.”
The Browns acquired him March 15 by trading linebacker Mack Wilson to the New England Patriots in a rare player-for-player swap. Both had reduced roles last season and are looking to bounce back in a different environment.
“In life, we’re very quick to assign things as good or bad, success or failure, this or that,” Winovich said. “But I think ultimately that removes any possibility, and the possibility is that it could be the best thing to ever happen to me.”
An edge defender with the Patriots,
Winovich has gained 10 to 15 pounds this offseason as he transitions to defensive end on a four-man front.
“It’s the heaviest I’ve weighed in probably three years, the strongest I’ve
probably ever been,” Winovich said, “so I have a lot to be optimistic about, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Last season with the Patriots, Winovich’s statistical production dropped.
He compiled 5 1/2 sacks in each of his first two NFL seasons and tied for first in the league with 24 hurries in 2020, but he had zero sacks in 2021.
He started nine times in his first two seasons combined, but none last year, when he logged just 10.5% of the defensive snaps. The Patriots made him inactive for their wild-card playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills in January.
“Without going into too much detail,” Winovich said, “there was an injury even before the season started that I was dealing with for a few months.
“There’s things in life that are in my control and things in life that are out of my control. The things that were out of my control were definitely more prevalent [last season].”
The Browns have faith Winovich can rebound. They agreed Sunday to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney as the starting defensive end opposite Garrett, but Winovich will have a chance to secure a role as a rotational pass rusher.
“Certain people are put on this earth to do certain things, and one of the things that I was put on this earth to do is play football,” Winovich said. “And rushing the passer is something that I’d say ... I do a pretty dang good job.”